The winds of change have blown through Super League in the winter with the arrival of IMG’s vision for a brighter future but it appears in this part of the world at least, things remain the same as they have for the last few years.
Hull’s two rugby league clubs have gone on different trajectories in recent times. Rovers have been transformed from perennial relegation candidates to a side who reached last year’s Challenge Cup final and finished fourth, while FC have laboured at the wrong end of the table, albeit always clear of any real jeopardy when it came to the threat of relegation.
The last time these two sides met on this ground last Easter, when Rovers won 40-0, underlined the gulf between the teams. Those of a Black and White persuasion would have hoped that another winter of heavy recruitment would begin to turn that tide and while, of course, nothing is won or lost on the opening night, this would have been a chastening reminder about how it is their great rivals who now hold the superiority in Hull.
In front of a crowd of over 20,000 – the biggest opening-night crowd since 2007 – IMG and Super League officials may have hoped the 244th Hull derby was a nerve-shredding affair. However, the reality is it was extremely one-sided in the favour of the visitors, who have now nilled their biggest foes in their own back-yard twice inside a year. The writing felt on the wall for Hull FC before a ball had been kicked when Liam Sutcliffe withdrew during the warm-up due to illness. Their night only worsened from that moment onwards.
They fell behind after just six minutes when some fine play down the right edge freed Niall Evalds to mark his Rovers debut with a well-worked try and four minutes later, Hull were dealt another significant blow when Joe Cator left the field with an injury. If injuries weren’t bad enough for Tony Smith’s side to deal with, ill-discipline was also costing them dearly when it mattered most.
A minute after Cator left the field, Hull were reduced to 12 men when one of their big-name debutants, Herman Ese’ese, was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle to leave the hosts firmly on the back foot inside the opening quarter. Rovers capitalised on their numerical advantage too as Kelepi Tanginoa marked his debut with a try to make it 8-0, with Peta Hiku missing both attempts at goal. Hull at least settled matters when Ese’ese returned but they lacked any sort of rhythm in attack, meaning Rovers’ eight-point lead felt more comfortable than it should have done.
And then, a decisive three minutes before half-time practically settled matters in favour of the visitors. With three minutes to go until the break, a wonderful solo try from Hull KR and England half-back, Mikey Lewis, made it 14-0. Then, with seconds to go until the half-time hooter, another of Hull’s overseas signings, Franklin Pele, was sent off following an inexplicable swinging arm to the face of the Rovers captain Elliot Minchella. Rugby league has tightened its rules on head contact this season but Pele’s action would have been a red card in any era.
It meant that at half-time, Hull were not only 14 points behind, but they were a man light for the rest of the contest. Unfortunately, it also rendered the second half something of a non-event with Rovers clearly in control, and Hull unable to muster any sort of a comeback. Losing their hooker, Danny Houghton, and full-back, Jack Walker, to head injuries hardly helped matters – and as the hour-mark approached, the game was finished when Matt Parcell crossed for Rovers’ fourth try after a fine pass from Lewis to make it 18-0.
Only Hiku’s errant goal-kicking – he finished with one out of five attempts, kept it mildly interesting. But there was still time for some more drama in the way of more cards from the referee Liam Moore. A flashpoint between Parcell and Ligi Sao saw the former sent to the sin bin for foul play, with Sao’s retaliation earning him a straight red card to ensure Hull finished with 11 men. By the time Evalds crossed for his second in the final seconds, the Rovers supporters were already celebrating another famous – and ultimately straightforward – victory against their bitter rivals. It is becoming a bit of a habit these days.
