Wakefield shock Hull KR to delay Shield lift

Betfred Super League

Wakefield (26) 28

Tries: Trueman, Lino, Jowitt, Scott Goals: Jowitt (6)

Hull KR (0) 12

Hull KR’s bid to lift the League Leaders’ Shield must go to the final round of the regular season after play-off chasing Wakefield Trinity stunned the Super League table-toppers at the DIY Kitchens Stadium.

The Robins needed a win to confirm top spot but found themselves 26-0 down at half-time as Trinity, who needed to win their two remaining games to claim the sixth and final play-off spot, produced a brilliant display.

They scored four unanswered tries through Jake Trueman, Mason Lino, Max Jowitt and Cameron Scott, with Lino converting all four and adding a penalty, to take charge of the game.

Arthur Mourgue and Oliver Gildart struck back with tries in the second half but the expected Robins backlash did not really materialise.

They must now beat Warrington, or at least avoid a heavy defeat, on Thursday to clinch the trophy ahead of Wigan, who are two points behind with an inferior points difference of 41.

Around 2,000 Robins fans had travelled down the M62 hoping to see their team add the Shield to the Challenge Cup they won earlier in the season, and they were big favourites against a Trinity side which flopped badly last week in defeat at Castleford Tigers.

Coach Daryl Powell had demanded improvement from his side after that defeat left the door open for Hull FC to pip them for sixth, and he got it in spectacular style with a devastating first-half performance.

The Robins had won the past five meetings between the two sides but they were swept aside by a masterclass from scrum-half Lino, who out-shone his opposite number Mikey Lewis.

Lino’s high kick caused confusion in the Robins defence and Trueman grabbed the loose ball to score. Then, after Jowitt added a penalty, Lino feinted and shot through a gap to add a try of his own.

Lewis then fumbled the ball as he tried to intercept a Trueman pass and Jowitt picked it up to race over the line. Jowitt then made a break to send Scott over for another to leave the visitors reeling.

The half-time talk was of Rovers striking back and that looked likely as Mourgue benefited from a sharp Sam Luckley offload and James Batchelor break to score and convert.

Wakefield: Jowitt; Myers, Scott, Pratt, Johnstone; Trueman, Lino; McMeeken, Hood, Faatili, Nikotemo, Storton, Pitts.

Interchanges: Rodwell, Griffin, Atoni, Smith.

Hull KR: Mourgue; Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Broadbent; Lewis, May; Whitbread, Litten, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella.

Interchanges: Luckley, Brown, Doro, Leyland.