Willie Peters refused to get carried away by Hull KR’s first win at St Helens in 11 years but was full of praise for four-try winger Joe Burgess.
Rovers’ pursuit of a first League Leaders’ Shield gained further momentum with an eight-try, 42-6 demolition of an understrength Saints’ side who finished with 12-men after Tommy Makinson’s late red card. A club-record points total against the Saints took Rovers two points clear of Warrington and Wigan with four games of the regular Super League season remaining.
Burgess dotted down three times in the opening half and then added to his first Rovers treble with a fourth try nine minutes from time. “We know what Joe is capable of but what I have enjoyed most about Joe’s game this year is how hard he competes,” said Peters, the head coach.
“He is a class winger and he is fast. But it is round the competing side of doing things that perhaps others don’t notice but his teammates certainly do. Joe being Joe you are also going to get tries like he did. But he also has lots of experience and is going to be valuable to us like he has been all season.”
The outcome was never in doubt from the moment Burgess grabbed his first try after three minutes. Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Kelepi Tanginoa and Jai Whitbread also touched down in a rampant performance from the visitors.
“You have to play what is in front of you and it shows a sign of maturity and growth as a team that we can play like that,” added Peters. “I have got belief in this group no matter what. It is important they have belief in themselves and going away to St Helens and winning adds an extra layer of belief.
“But we are not talking about a League Leaders’ Shield. And it doesn’t matter too much if you don’t win certain games or at certain places. But we had a job to do and we executed it well.”
The Saints coach, Paul Wellens, said: “I am loath to say too much because I have got to watch the game again. But as coach, I am not stupid. We were way off where we needed to be. From minute one to 80 we never looked likely to win that game.”
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Saints remain fifth but face an anxious month to secure a playoff place. “We need to win a minimum of two games to make the six, maybe three,” added Wellens. “Hull KR are the form team of the competition. We spoke about their threats and how we had to be good in certain areas to nullify them and realistically we gave them everything they needed.”
On Makinson’s dismissal, Wellens added: “It was very unusual. I watch the NRL and I don’t see any of this nonsense. Fans and players are getting frustrated by it. But my message to my players is ‘tough’ because the game isn’t going to change and incidents will be re-refereed.”
