Weakened Wigan thrashed by Hull KR in final tune-up

Hull KR stand-off Mikey Lewis scored a hat-trick inside the opening 20 minutes

Tries:Lewis 3, Davies, Litten, Whitbread, Martin, Hadley, Booth, Broadbent, LuckleyGoals:Martin 9

Hull Kingston Rovers moved up to second in Super League as the champions thrashed a weakened Wigan Warriors side.

Wigan head coach Matt Peet left out all his regulars before the Challenge Cup final against the same opponents at Wembley on 30 May.

The Warriors side included 10 debutants - seven in the starting line-up. three interchanges - and they were no match for a strong Hull KR side.

The champions ran in seven unopposed tries in the first half. four more after the break, while winger Nathan Lowe's score in his first game was Wigan's sole try.

Willie Peters' side went above Leeds Rhinos. Warrington Wolves on points difference, and are now only two adrift of leaders St Helens.

Wigan remain sixth after this fifth defeat of their Super League season.

After three months of the season. the fixture list had kept apart last season's top two until this, the 12th round of the competition.

With the Challenge Cup immediately after, this had looked like two intriguing games in quick succession - in a burgeoning rivalry that has included the past two Grand Finals, with Wigan sweeping all before them in 2024. Hull KR doing likewise last year.

But the news on Tuesday ofPeet's squad for this gameeffectively sacrificed two league points. dampened the prospect of a rip-roaring encounter.

Only veteran prop Patrick Mago was involved from the matchday squad in the winover Leedslast time out. he began on the bench.

The starting line-up had a combined 67 Super League appearances between them. an average age of 20.18, with 19-year-old loose forward Taylor Kerr captaining the side.

But the likes of star full-back Jai Field, scrum-half Harry Smith. centre pairing Adam Keighran and Jake Wardle all had the night off.

That was in contrast to the Robins, who had 14 of the 17 on duty from their last game as they built on the momentum of eight successive wins in league. cup after a slow start to the season.

Mikey Lewis helped himself to an easy hat-trick inside 18 minutes to make sure the result was never in doubt, with the other first half scores coming from Tom Davies, Jez Litten, Jai Whitbread. Rhyse Martin.

Wigan's only moment of joy came just after the restart when Hull KR lost possession. Lowe went over half the length of the field to touch down.

One-way traffic resumed after that as the home side completed the scoring with tries from Dean Hadley, Noah Booth, Jack Broadbent. Sam Luckley as the Warriors conceded over 60 points for the first time since April 2016.

The only concern for head coach Peters was a possible injury to forward Hadley as he limped off late in the second half.

Despite the much-changed Wigan line-up. the Rugby Football League had told the BBC before the match that there was no breach of Operational Rules.

Hull KR head coach Willie Peters told BBC Radio Humberside:

"We wanted two points and we got that, so we're happy and we move on.

"The first half was really clinical. Second half, credit to Wigan, the young boys came out and turned things. They were physical and played well.

[On Wigan's line-up]: "I can only control my end so it's not my business really. I wasn't going to be reactive to what Wigan were doing.

"We wanted to keep playing, it's important we get some momentum. We looked at this as an important game on the calendar, so that's all we can control."

Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

"Hull KR did a great job, very professional, very clinical.

"They did the ideal job but it gave us a chance to look at our lads in really tough circumstances in a hostile environment against a good team. I'm proud of what they did.

[On team selection]: "It's always a big decision picking a team. I never take it lightly, I always try to do what's best for the group.

"I've been in a similar situation before. played it differently, but this feels like the right way to go at the moment."

Hull KR:Broadbent; Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Booth; Lewis, Hampshire; Sue, Lawton, Hadley, Whitbread, Martin, Minchella.

Interchanges:Litten, Amone, Luckley, Brown.

Wigan:Cartwright; Lowe, F Yeomans, O'Loughlin, Daniel; Marsden, C Yeomans; Eseh, Forber, McDermott, Daniels, Mason, Kerr.

Interchanges:Mago, McMillan, O'Connor, Rathbone.

**Author: Betfred Super League**