Given how we are just three games into Super League XX, it may feel slightly exaggerated to ramp up the significance of this win for Hull Kingston Rovers. After all, there are 20 games left in the regular season, but with the very real threat of relegation this year, losing the first three games of the season would have been unthinkable, albeit not terminal.
It is appropriate that Rovers’ captain, Terry Campese, who was sensational here, was being watched by his uncle David, of Australian rugby union fame. He produced some majestic performances during a stellar career in the 15-man code, and this masterful display from Terry was arguably every inch as good.
Hull KR were staring in the face of a third straight loss just after the restart, trailing 20-6 thanks to a George Williams try. From then on though, Wigan somehow conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, as they suffered their first loss of the year in rather embarrassing fashion.
For Hull KR however, they now have their first points of the season in the bag, and can move forward without that particular monkey on their back.
Led by the ultra-cool and methodical Campese, they fought hard and dragged themselves out of a hole early in that second half with some gritty, tough rugby.
“There’s a lot of relief there,” said the Robins’ coach, Chris Chester, after the game. “We’re all delighted; we’ve been questioned after the last couple of games, and the one thing you can’t question about this team is team spirit.”
It was far from a vintage performance from the Warriors, whose performance was more dominated by the ill-discipline and errors they afforded, as opposed to the scintillating rugby league they produced in rare glimpses.
“We just weren’t smart with the ball,” said Wigan’s coach, Shaun Wane, who must now pick his team up for a game on Friday night against Castleford Tigers. “I’m not too worried because we were unbeaten before today, but we need to work on keeping hold of the ball and being smarter.”
The first half barely came to life until the final five minutes, by which point the game was 6-4 in Hull KR’s favour. But Wigan would then take control of the game with a spell of three tries in five minutes either side of the break.
The first came from the forward Lee Mossop, who was making his first appearance for the club since returning to Wigan from a spell in Australia’s NRL.
He charged his way over in rampaging fashion to nudge the Warriors into a lead, before Josh Charnley touched down seconds before the hooter to extend the lead out to 14-6.
That try was a body blow in terms of the timing, and a further shock to the system arrived less than 30 seconds after the restart.
Wigan streaked downfield from the kick-off via the rapid Joe Burgess, with Williams touching down for Wigan’s fourth try of the afternoon.
From then on though, it was all Rovers. Ill-discipline kept handing the home side field position, and they struck when Ken Sio crossed for his second try of the afternoon.
Six minutes later the gap was closed further, as the forward, Mitch Allgood, crashed over from close range. At 20-16, the game was well and truly in the balance.
And as Wigan kept making silly errors, Hull KR kept pressing, eventually grabbing the game-winning try. Kieran Dixon, a substitute, danced and spun his way over the line with just his second touch of the ball since coming on, with Josh Mantellato’s goal sealing a memorable win for Hull KR.
Elsewhere in Super League, Wakefield’s unbeaten start come to an emphatic end, as they lost 58-16 to Widnes Vikings, who picked up their first win of the season in the process.
Hull KR Cockayne; Mantellato, Salter, Goulding, Sio; Campese, Kelly; Walker, Boudebza, Allgood, Blair, McCarthy, Burke Interchange Larroyer, Green, Horne, Dixon
Wigan Hampshire; Charnley, Gelling, Tomkins, Burgess; Williams, Smith; Sutton, McIlorum, Tautai, C Farrell, L Farrell, Bateman Interchange Clubb, Patrick, Mossop, Powell
Referee R Hicks (Oldham) Attendance 7,632
• This article was amended on 1 March 2015 to correct the name of Hull KR’s stadium as well as a factual error in a sub-heading
