Warrington Wolves issued a post‑match statement after securing a 34‑28 triumph over Hull KR in the rescheduled Super League round‑two fixture at Sewell Group Craven Park. The encounter had originally been postponed 22 rounds earlier because the Robins were on a trip to Las Vegas, but the new date proved advantageous for Sam Burgess’s side, who surged to victory and moved to within two points of the league summit. For Hull KR, the most notable storyline was the return of Mikey Lewis from a four‑game suspension.
Lewis had missed the first half of the season, during which the Robins won each of those four matches. His comeback, however, was marred by a sin‑bin offence that came at a crucial juncture when Hull KR were already trailing.
The yellow card was handed for a dangerous tackle on Warrington kicker Ewan Irwin. Head coach Sam Burgess described the challenge as "dangerous" and said, "I think the challenge at the back end of the game was a bad challenge.
He (Irwin) is very lucky he's come out of that healthy. He's a tough kid." Burgess later added, "I'm not trying to make it worse than it is.
You just have to watch it. It's really dangerous.
In the NRL, you'd be in a bit of trouble." Hull KR had enjoyed a 14‑10 lead at the break, thanks to a penalty from Rhyse Martin and converted tries from Lewis and Karl Lawton. The Wolves, however, began the second half with an unconverted Albert Hopoate effort and a James Bentley try, narrowing the gap but still remaining four points behind. The second half belonged to Warrington. Prop Toafoa Sipley, centre Liam Byrne, forward George Williams and winger Albert Hopoate each crossed the line, extending the lead and turning the contest into a one‑sided affair.
Late‑stage scores from Dean Hadley and Tevita Pangai Jr. were merely consolation for Hull KR, while Lewis’s sin‑bin episode underscored the frustration of his return. Hull KR opened the scoring when Martin slotted a penalty after Warrington were penalised for a high tackle on French play‑maker Arthur Mourgue.
The Robins then faltered, dropping the ball twice and conceding another penalty, allowing Warrington to gain momentum. After forcing three repeat sets, the Wolves finally broke through when a sweeping move from left to right saw Hopoate dive into the corner on the 18th minute. Irwin missed the conversion, and the game swung in Warrington's favour. The hosts continued to make errors, but Hull KR failed to capitalise.
When they eventually gave away a penalty for holding down, England captain George Williams delivered a crisp pass to James Bentley, who sprinted over for a close‑range try. Irwin added the extras, pushing the score to 10‑2 in favour of the Wolves.
Before the interval, the Robins clawed back. Lewis, back from suspension, was the first to react to a well‑timed kick from Jez Litten that found the in‑goal area, and his try was followed a minute later by Lawton’s powerful charge over the line. Both conversions were taken by Mourgue, giving Hull KR a 14‑10 lead at halftime. The second half began with Sipley crashing over from a few metres out after a clever pass from Danny Walker, and Irwin successfully converted, putting Warrington three points ahead.
At the 50‑minute mark, Mourgue levelled the scores with a penalty goal, leaving the contest finely balanced. Tensions rose when a scuffle broke out, involving players from both sides.
The incident seemed to unsettle Hull KR, and Mourgue was penalised for a needless block on Walker as the Robins were retreating from their own try line. Irwin capitalised with another penalty, restoring a two‑point advantage for Warrington. Soon after, Lewis kicked the ball out on the full for the second time, and Warrington seized the opportunity.
Byrne powered through the defensive line to score a try, which was converted, extending the Wolves' lead to eight points as the final quarter began. From there, the game turned into a one‑way street for Warrington.
George Williams sliced inside Litten’s defence to score, then produced a brilliant kick that Albert Hopoate finished with aplomb, further widening the gap. Late‑stage tries from Dean Hadley and Tevita Pangai Jr. provided Hull KR with minor consolation, but the deficit was too great to overturn.
Player of the match George Williams told Sky Sports, "Mikey Lewis is a nice quiet lad, not how he plays. It's a fine line, and at the minute he's getting it wrong. But just put an arm around him. He's one of the best players in the competition." Warrington head coach Sam Burgess reflected, "I'm happy and proud of the team.
We didn't have it our way for parts of it. We'll reassess, but I'm proud of the spirit.
This is a tough place to come. I'm proud of our effort and physicality.
The scoreline didn't reflect the game in the first half, and it's fair to say it doesn't in the second half either. We were dominant in a lot of areas. Our collective effort, everyone did their jobs.
We grew in the disruption." Hull KR coach Willie Peters admitted to Sky Sports, "Yeah, it was a tough second half to watch. There were a lot of moments we won't want to see again. Not good enough.
It's disappointing and I'm disappointed with the tries we let in. Warrington are a very good team, I'm not taking anything away from them, but they didn't have to work for coming through the middle of us. We're a brave team, because it could have got worse, but obviously the game was gone by the end.
I need to have a look at the Mikey Lewis incident. I don't know how bad it was." Sky Sports will broadcast every Super League match live this season, with two games each round shown exclusively on the main channel and the remaining five fixtures available on Sky Sports+. The Wolves' victory keeps them within striking distance of the league leaders, setting up an intriguing title race as the season progresses.