Hull KR confirm status as history makers as 143-year record broken in Wakefield win

Hull KR have made history after setting a 143-year record best-ever start to a league season courtesy of their win against Wakefield Trinity on Friday.

Rovers were made to work exceptionally hard for victory during an engrossing first half, with the omens against them in many ways.

Willie Peters’ side were aiming to break a record set by Colin Hutton’s squad of 1966-67, which they equalled themselves last weekend courtesy of victory against Castleford Tigers.

But 60 years ago, it was Wakefield who inflicted a second defeat in 16 games on the Robins and for periods of Friday’s meeting between the two teams, it looked as though history would repeat itself after Trinity took an early lead.

However, KR recomposed themselves to lead 12-10 at the break and in the second half, they underlined why they are Super League’s premiere side at present.

Back-to-back tries in the space of two minutes from Mikey Lewis and Joe Burgess made it 24-10 in favour of the Robins before Tom Davies’ hat-trick try confirmed it would be an historic evening for all those present inside a sold-out Craven Park. A late try from Peta Hiku added the gloss on a wonderful night to secure a 34-10 win.

By then, it was obvious Peters and his group of players would surpass that legendary Rovers team of 1966-67 and do something no other team in the club’s history has done: win 15 of their first 16 league fixtures.

Even Rovers’ legendary squads of the 1970s and 1980s could not manage that. Their iconic sides from 1978-79 and 1984-85 won 13 of their first 15 fixtures, losing two games before this Rovers side.

And all eyes will now be on whether or not they can solidify their position at the Super League summit and finish top of the table for the first time in the summer era.

Incidentally, should Rovers manage that, it would also complete leg two of what would be an historic treble.