The KCOM Craven Park was the venue as two of the sides without a point to their name in Super League 2018 met in an early season basement battle. A win for either Hull KR or the Catalans Dragons could be exactly what they need to give their season a kick-start but defeat would mean that panic may start to set in amongst the staff and supporters.
Both sides made some changes. For the Robins it was Will Dagger in for Adam Quinlan, Liam Salter for Andrew Heffernan, Ben Kavanagh for James Greenwood, and debutant Danny Tickle on the bench.
Steve McNamara’s Dragons also made changes with Greg Bird moving into the second row as cover for the suspended Jullien, and being replaced by Luke Walsh in the halves. A big loss was likely to be that of the injured Michael McIlorum, who was replaced at hooker by Paul Aiton.
Hull KR drew first blood on five when Ryan Shaw was at the end of a left to right passing move to take the ball and dive over in the corner. Shaw failed to convert his own try from the touchline.
Both sides were lacking any real confidence in attack, and there were plenty of unforced errors and failing to complete their sets of six.
It was twenty-eight minutes before the next try. A Shaun Lunt chip was collected by himself and on the next play Mose Masoe took the pass and dragged the tacklers over the line to ground. This time Shaw was able to add the extras for a 10-0 lead.
On thirty-seven Lunt added the the Dragons woes when he scooted from acting half-back to duck under two tacklers and dive under the sticks to score. Shaw again added the extras for a 16-0 half-time lead and the Robins were edging towards their opening win of the season.
On forty nine Danny Tickle scored a debut try, reaching for the line to ground. Shaw added the extras for 22-0.
David Mead won a footrace after taking a Greg Bird pass on the half way line to get the Catalans on the scoreboard, much to the relief of coach McNamara but Luke Walsh failed to convert from wide.
After getting a penalty on sixty-four, Shaw opted to kick the penalty but left it short.
The errors continued until the final whistle, with just a thirty metre Chris Atkin drop goal to add to the KR scoreline, and the hooter came as a blessed relief to most who had sat through the game.
This was far from a great spectacle between two sides who will both be disappointed at how poorly they have acquitted themselves at the start of the season. Both have plenty of work to do to avoid the dreaded middle eights at the end of the first part of the season, but on tonights showing you’d expect that it will be the Robins who are the ones pushing for a top eight finish.
One game that is easily and best forgotten.
KR: Dagger, Shaw (T, 3G), Salter, Minns, Carney, McGuire, Atkin (DG), Jewitt, Lee, Mulhern, Blair, Clarkson, Kavanagh. Subs: Lunt (T), Masoe (T), Tickle (T), Walne.
Dragons: Mead (T), Broughton, Thornley, Wiliame, Tierney, Albert, Walsh, Casty, Aiton, Simon, Bird, Garcia, Baitieri. Subs: Bousquet, Margalet, Duport, Da Costa.
Referee: James Child.
Half-Time: 16-0.
Full-Time: 23-4.
Attendance: .
