Carnegie Challenge Cup holders St Helens were given a tough test by Hull Kingston Rovers at Craven Park but eventually made it through to the semi finals.

The Robins took the lead but Saints hit back to eventually clinch a narrow 24-18 win in what was a hard-fought cup encounter.

Paul Cooke opened the scoring for the home side by touching down a Michael Dobson kick to the in-goal area, adding the conversion to open up a 6-0 lead.

But Saints raced into the lead for the first time thanks to tries from Willie Talau and Maurie Fa’asavalu, Sean Long landing both conversions to make the score 12-6.

But Daniel Fitzhenry responded just moments before the half-time interval, Cooke adding the two points to ensure the sides would be level at the interval.

Long opened the second half scoring with a self-made try and landed the conversion himself but the Robins drew level again when Cooke converted a James Webster touch down.

With the game in the balance Long and Talau combined to send Ade Gardner over at the corner, Long converting and the cup holders defending until the full-time whistle.


Hull KR – 18

T: Cooke (3) Fitzhenry (38), Webster (60)
G: Cooke (4, 39, 61)

St Helens – 24

T: Talau (14) Fa'asavalu (19), Long (56) Gardner (68)
G: Long (15, 20, 57, 69)


HT: 12-12

Att: 8, 304

Ref: A Klein