Hull KR Preview

[josie andrews]

Everything you need to know for Sunday’s Betfred Super League home tie with Hull Kingston Rovers at the DW Stadium.

The Brief

Wigan Warriors welcome Hull KR to the DW Stadium on Sunday in Round 6 of the Betfred Super League.

Adrian Lam’s side return home after last week’s impressive win over Huddersfield Giants and have the chance to move back to the top of the table with a fifth victory out of six this weekend.

As for the Robins, they have picked up just two points so far this season with four defeats from their opening five games and if history is anything to go by, the stats don’t read well for Tony Smith’s outfit.

Rovers have not won at Wigan since May 2009 and the Warriors have won their last 11 DW Stadium meetings with the Robins since then.

Team News

Forward Tony Clubb is not risked after picking up a shoulder knock against Huddersfield last week and drops out of the squad.

Prop-forward Ben Flower returns after a number of injury niggles that have kept him away from first team action in 2020 so far. He is named in the 21.

Earlier this week, Head Coach Lam provided an update on skipper Sean O’Loughlin’s eye injury sustained vs Toronto in Round 3.

“Sean O’Loughlin is still up to four weeks out. It’s an injury that you can’t train with due to the blood pressure and how that involves the eye. We are in no rush to rush him back.”

Lam did give the all clear on Wigan’s number seven Tommy Leuluai who left the field of play for a concussion assessment vs Huddersfield last weekend.

“Tommy Leuluai went off with a HIA (Head Injury Assessment) but he’s been passed with that so he’s back in for recovery.”

The boss has also given a timeline for return for centre Oliver Gildart, who continues to recover from a dislocated shoulder.

“The other one is Oliver Gildart, which will probably be mid April.”

The Opposition

After sustaining injuries in last Thursday’s defeat to Castleford Tigers, Mitch Garbutt and Ben Crooks both miss out for Rovers.

Anesu Mudoti is one of two potential debutants, alongside Ethan Ryan, who is expected to feature on the wing in the absence of Crooks.

George Lawler, Jordan Abdull, Robbie Mulhern and Harvey Livett all return and are available for selection for Tony Smith’s side.

Here is Hull KR’s 21-man squad:

Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Kane Linnett, Greg Minikin, Jordan Abdull, Robbie Mulhern, Harvey Livett, Dean Hadley, George Lawler, Dan Murray, Kyle Trout, Jez Litten, Will Dagger, Owen Harrison, Ethan Ryan, Joe Keyes, Matty Gee, Will Maher, Elliot Minchella, Matthew Storton, Anesu Mudoti, Ryan Brierley.

Did You Know?

Wigan’s first ever meeting with Hull KR was on 18th January 1902. Wigan won 5-4.
Joe Burgess has scored a try in each of the Warriors’ last three meetings with Hull Kingston Rovers.
There have been 116 league meetings between Wigan and Hull KR, with Wigan winning 75, the Robins winning 37 and four draws.

Previous Meetings
Last ten meetings:

Wigan 36, Hull KR 18 (SLR25, 9/8/19)
Wigan 52, Hull KR 10 (SLR21, 5/7/19)
Hull KR 18, Wigan 19 (SLR17, 9/6/19)
Hull KR 24, Wigan 8 (SLR16, 25/5/18)
Hull KR 10, Wigan 28 (CCR6, 13/5/18)
Wigan 44, Hull KR 6 (SLR9, 2/4/18)
Hull KR 18, Wigan 20 (SLR18, 10/6/16)
Wigan 30, Hull KR 16 (SLR8, 28/3/16)
Wigan 12, Hull KR 16 (CCR6, 15/5/15 at Leigh Sports Village)
Wigan 60, Hull KR 0 (SLR13, 1/5/15)

Super League summary:

Wigan won 21 (includes wins in 2009 and 2010 play-offs)
Hull KR won 6
1 draw

Read more at; https://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2020 ... kr-preview