Huddersfield defeat Hull KR

17 May 2019

Huddersfield Giants 30-22 Hull KR

England winger Jermaine McGillvary scored two tries as Huddersfield Giants came from 16-8 down at half-time to secure a precious 30-22 Betfred Super League victory over fellow strugglers Hull KR at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Rovers were unrecognisable from the side that was hammered 42-8 in March as they put themselves in a winning position, only to collapse alarmingly in the face of the Giants’ second-half fightback.

Brothers Joe and Jake Wardle both touched down as Huddersfield scored four tries after the break to condemn their visitors to a fifth successive league defeat that leaves them perilously placed in the table, just two points above bottom club London Broncos.

The win moved Huddersfield up to 12 points in the table and four ahead of both Rovers and Leeds Rhinos as clubs bid to claw themselves away from the battle at the bottom of the table.

Huddersfield coach Simon Woolford said: “I thought (Joe Wardle's) contribution when he came back on was typical and he scored a crucial try.

“Jake (Wardle’s) a player I’ve a lot of time for. He’s a fantastic talent. The sky is the limit for him, he could be a 30 to 40-cap man for Great Britain if we get his body right. For his try, he knew he didn’t have the speed but he outsmarted them.??

Hull KR coach Tim Sheens said of Jake Wardle’s try: “We feel the ball was stripped and it should have been a scrum. It was the classic thing you are taught from a young age, to play to the whistle.

“There’s a lot of footy to be played just yet. We’ve had a number of narrow losses this year which is putting us under a bit of pressure. They had a heap of possession in the second half. We didn’t have enough football and we had some very tired bodies.??