Challenge Cup round-up: St Helens, Leigh and Hull KR reach quarter-finals

It was an entertaining night in the Challenge Cup sixth round, with St Helens, Leigh and Hull KR all securing their places in the quarter-finals.

Halifax Panthers 6-26 St Helens

World champions St Helens were made to work for the victory by Championship opposition Halifax.

The Saints led 16-0 at the break thanks to first half tries from Joey Lussick, Jake Wingfield and Tommy Makinson.

Paul Wellens’ side posted further tries in the second half through Jack Welsby and Lussick before Halifax scored a well-deserved try in the latter stages through Jacob Fairbank.

The Saints were dealt a blow late on when forward Morgan Knowles was sent off for a high shot on Halifax hooker Tom Inman.

Halifax: Woodburn-Hall; Walmsley, Tibbs, McComb, Saltonstall; Jouffret, Keyes; Calcott, Moore, Murray, Lannon, Gee, Fairbank. Subs: Inman, Doro, Tangata, Larroyer. 18th player: Maizen.

St Helens: Welsby; Makinson, Hopoate, Davies, Ritson; Lomax, Dodd; Walmsley, Lussick, Knowles, Mata’utia, Batchelor, Bell. Subs: Bennison, Paasi, Wingfield, Delaney. 18th player: Royle.

Wakefield Trinity 12-40 Leigh Leopards

Leigh cruised in to the quarter-finals with a comfortable win over Wakefield at Belle Vue.

The Leopards were 22-0 to the good at half-time, with first half tries coming from Tom Briscoe (2), John Asiata and Kai O’Donnell.

O’Donnell, Ricky Leutele and Josh Charnley crossed for further tries in the second half. Meanwhile, Jay Pitts and Will Dagger scored Wakefield’s tries in the second 40.

Wakefield: Dagger; Lineham, Gaskell, Pratt, Taufua; Lino, Smith; Atoni, Bowes, Bowden, Proctor, Pitts, Crowther. Subs: Hood, Battye, Eseh, Windrow. 18th player: Kershaw.

Leigh: O’Brien; Briscoe, Leutele, Hardaker, Charnley; Reynolds, Lam; Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, Holmes, O’Donnell, Asiata. Subs: Mellor, Seumanufagai, Wilde, Davis. 18th player: Gannon.

Hull KR 50-0 Batley Bulldogs

It was a comfortable win for Hull KR, who ran in nine tries against Championship side Batley at Craven Park.

Ireland international Ethan Ryan grabbed a hat-trick for the Robins, whilst Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Kane Linnett both bagged braces.

Mikey Lewis and Sam Luckley also got on the scoresheet for Willie Peters’ side.

Hull KR: Ryan; Wood, Opacic, Kenny-Dowall, Hall; Lewis, Laulu-Togaga’e; Kennedy, Litten, Hadley, Batchelor, Linnett, Minchella. Subs: Storton, Keinhorst, Luckley, Aydin. 18th player: Johnson.

Batley: McGowan; Johnson, Hodson, Buchanan, Campbell; White, Woods; Gledhill, Kaye, Lillycrop, Manning, Walshaw, Reilly. Subs: Meadows, Flynn, Ward, Burke. 18th player: Kibula.

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