Quarter Finals
Hull KR 40 d. Warrington Wolves 36

2006 Challenge Cup Index [Draw] [Player Stats]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: Challenge Cup

Hull KR upset Warrington to make Cup Semis
Mon June 5, 2006
Source: www.hullkr.co.uk

Hull Kingston Rovers head coach Justin Morgan was a happy man after seeing his Rovers topple Super League high-fliers Warrington Wolves out of the Powergen Challenge Cup.

It's not been a bad week for the Aussie. A two and a half year extensions to his contract at Craven Park, an unbeaten run which now runs to a Rovers' record-breaking 18 games, and a 40-36 defeat of a side lying fifth in Super League.

Afterwards he said: "We have not been put under sustained pressure from a quality side this season before today. Now we have and the boys stood strong. They responded exceptionally well."

Asked how pleasing it was to have won playing good rugby league Morgan said: "My teams always play footy. I have some fantastic players in that side. Their skill levels are amazing and I am never going to stop them playing football.

"I always ask for the best of both worlds as I always want everything to come off. I tell the boys to go out there and back themselves. I say to them: 'You are the rugby league players - you are the guys who train. Go out there and chance your arm a bit.' I certainly encourage that and I think we are playing a nice brand of football at the moment.

"It also helps we are playing with a little bit of confidence at the moment," added the head coach.

Scoring eight tries against a Super League defence was also very pleasing he said.

"I said in the lead up to this game we could score tries. Games with Warrington in them have usually seen tries being scored. They like to throw the ball around and chance their arm a bit too. In the first half they got some back to back sets and put some pressure on but the second half I thought we did well.

"We had some good periods of defence on our line and we controlled the ball exceptionally well and the tempo of the game.

"The new record of 18 games unbeaten is also great. I don't know if the current crop of players realise how this compares to the past. If you look back to the past and see the quality of some of the Rovers' sides of the past there have been some fantastic sides.

"I am confident that in years to come that people will talk about some of the players from this team or even the team itself in similar terms.

"I have said all along they are a great bunch of players and they have created a fantastic environment and feeling amongst themselves and within the club," said Morgan.

Meanwhile Wolves boss Paul Cullen could hardly find words to describe his feelings at the result.

"The best team won by a mile," was his initial remark.

He said losing Lee Briers just before the kick off had had absolutely nothing to do with the performance and went on: "I thought we were shocking. I am working hard to say nothing that would detract from a fantastic effort by Hull Kingston Rovers. They beat us from the first play of the game to the last play of the game.

"They completely outfought us in every aspect of the game. The defeat is difficult enough to take but our lack of fight is sickening to the stomach to be honest.

"They had a lot more fight than us, a lot more desire and won the collisions too. Our guys stayed on the line, did not push up hard and I have been out-fought, out-muscled and out-played.

"There were some real poor efforts in discipline and honesty. Guys not square at marker, putting a hand on the ball, swinging arms in the tackle, it's not our usual way. We have exhibited a complete lack of composure.

"We treated Hull KR with the respect their proud record warranted but we had guys who did just not turn up for work today," said Cullen.

Report source: www.hullkr.co.uk

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