Super League Round Fourteen Review

In a week where the country decided on a new government, Super League saw the trend of shocks in 2015 continue with round 14 featuring just one of the big four winning while two sides secured clean sheets on a drenching Friday night.

Rampant Robins Rout Wildcats

The round began on Thursday night as Hull KR hosted Wakefield with both eager to bounce back from damaging defeats in the previous round. However, it was the Robins who bounced back in superb style with a 54-6 triumph.

Kris Welham and Josh Mantellato got the Robins started with a try each inside 16 minutes for an 8-0 lead before Joe Arundel put the visitors on the board with a 24th minute try which Craig Hall converted for 8-6. Albert Kelly crossed for the Robins on 28 minutes and with Mantellato converting, the lead moved to 14-6 before Mantellato scored and converted his own try for a 20-6 lead at the interval.

Graeme Horne crossed on 50 minutes for the Robins' sixth try with Mantellato converting for 26-6 before a six minute brace from Kieran Dixon coupled with  a single conversion from Mantellato put the hosts in firm control at 36-6. The Wildcats hopes of a first win since their opening double ended with three further tries from the Robins as Ken Sio, John Boudezba and Tyrone McCarthy all registered efforts which were all converted by Mantellato for 54-6.

Wonderful Warriors Trounce Tigers

Friday night saw a torrential downpour at the DW Stadium as Wigan hosted Castleford with the Warriors utilising the bad weather to their advantage to secure a 28-0 win which was sweet revenge for their worse loss of the season in the reverse fixture.

A tight opening from both sides saw a flurry of errors and knock-ons  so when Wigan were awarded a close range penalty on 14 minutes they chose to kick at goal which saw Matty Smith open the scoring at 2-0. Smith added a second penalty goal on 23 minutes before Joe Burgess collected Smith's long kick to register the first try of the game with Smith converting well for a 10-0 lead at the interval.

As the conditions deteriorated, Wigan extended their advantage with Smith's third penalty goal on 5 minutes before a rare try from Michael McIlorum on 63 minutes saw Smith convert for a comfortable 18-0 lead. The win and the subsequent nilling of the Tigers was wrapped up by two late tries from Dan Sarginson and Dom Manfredi with just the first effort improved by Smith for a 28-0 final score.

Giants Glide As Salford Suffer

Friday night's second game also suffered the wrath of the conditions as Salford hosted Huddersfield in a game that saw the Giants secure a 19-0 victory to dent the Red Devils charge up the table. 

Two early tries from Leroy Cudjoe and Jamie Ellis inside 15 minutes opened up a 10-0 with Danny Brough's single conversion. 

Brough added a penalty just before the interval for a 12-0 lead but Salford were unable to mount a response and fell further behind to a Brough drop goal on 56 minutes. Kyle Wood completed the win on 62 minutes with Brough converting.

Dragons Deny Swift Saints

Saturday afternoon saw Catalans host St Helens with the visitors eager to avoid a repeat of last season's 42-0 humbling to the Dragons but despite avoiding the nilling they suffered a 33-26 defeat.

Adam Swift opened the scoring for the Saints inside three minutes for 4-0 before two tries in four minutes from the Dragons put them 12-4 ahead as Ben Garcia and Zeb Taia both crossed with Scott Dureau converting both tries.

Swift completed a 32 minute hat-trick to put the Saints back in front at 14-12 with Luke Walsh converting the latter of the two before improving an effort from Shannon McDonnell four minutes later for 20-18. Catalans reduced the gap to two points at the interval with Garcia's second score and Dureau's conversion for 20-18.

Morgan Escare crossed on the hour mark to put the Dragons in front at 22-20 before Dureau added a conversion and a penalty goal to move the score to 26-20 but Swift continued his haul for the Saints with a fourth try of the game which when converted by Walsh drew the Saints level at 26 all.

However, Swift's four try haul proved to be in vain as Taia claimed his second try with four minutes remaining followed by the conversion from Dureau who swept over a drop goal in the final seconds for 33-26.

Last Gasp Hull Deny Warrington 

Sunday's action began with Hull's visit to Warrington with both sides keen to boost their mixed form with a win but after sealing a late victory in the previous round, the Wolves suffered became victims to such a fate as Hull triumphed 27-26.

Jordan Thompson opened the scoring for the visitors with a try in the 12th minute which Marc Sneyd converted for an early 6-0 lead though Joel Monaghan responded for the Wolves within three minutes with Stefan Ratchford converting to level at 6-6. The turnaround was complete on 18 minutes as Ben Currie put the Wolves ahead with Ratchford's second conversion making it 12-6 but Hull fought back  rapidly with a try from Setaimata Sa on 22 minutes but Sneyd's miss with the boot left them behind at 12-10.

However, Sneyd redeemed himself with a converted try on the half hour mark for a 16-12 lead which meant Hull led at the interval. Warrington were soon level though as Monaghan struck his second try on 50 minutes for 16 all before a 12 minute salvo from Gene Ormsby put the Wovles in control at 24-16 followed by Chris Bridge's conversion for 26-16.

Hull reduced the deficit with Mark Minichello's try on 69 minutes which Sneyd converted for 26-22  ahead of an equalising try from Tom Lineham on 75 minutes which set up a frantic finish resulting in a last-gasp drop goal from Sneyd with three seconds left on the clock to secure a famous comeback for the Black and Whites.

Valiant Vikings Vanquish Rueful Rhinos

The final game of the round saw table toppers Leeds travel to Widnes with the Rhinos looking to restore their four point gap at the top but they were stunned by superb Vikings side who stormed to a 38-24 victory.

Widnes loanee Chris Clarkson opened the scoring with a fourth minute try against his parent club  for 4-0 before Stevie Ward levelled for the Rhinos on eight minutes for four all. Joel Moon put the Rhinos in front on 15 minutes before Liam Sutcliffe converted for 10-4 but Widnes drew level ten minutes later with a Stefan Marsh try converted by Jack Owens for 10 all. 

Joe Mellor regained the Vikings' early lead with a 34th minute try which Owens improved for 16-10 and they led into the interval despite a late try from Kallum Watkins for 16-14 with Sutcliffe unable to convert.  Two tries in five minutes from Dan Galea and Manase Manuokafoa with both converted by Owens put the Vikings in control at 28-14 before Watkins second try and an effort from Jimmy Keinhorst narrowed the deficit at 28-24 after Sutcliffe's conversion.

However, Leeds' fight back proved to be in vain as a try eight minutes from time from Chris Dean (Owens conv) put the Vikings ten points clear at 34-24 before Aaron Heremaia simply walked through the Rhinos defence to seal a 38-24 victory.