Hull KR 42 Salford Red Devils 0: Rovers prove why they are in top bracket of Super League clubs in resounding win

After perfecting the art of winning when not at their best in the opening two rounds, Rovers shrugged off the absence of their star half-backs and made light of in-game injuries to put Salford Red Devils to the sword.

Salford were abject on the back of two heavy defeats but the Robins passed another character test to make it three wins from three at the start of the 2025 Super League season – and did so with a swagger.

Willie Peters' side scored seven tries without reply to make a mockery of pre-match fears about how they would cope without Mikey Lewis and Tyrone May.

Factor in the loss of Niall Evalds and Rhyse Martin to injury in the opening quarter and it was a remarkable victory for the Robins.

Tougher challenges lie ahead – starting with next week's trip to St Helens – but there is no sign of an Old Trafford hangover at Craven Park.

Rovers fans may have been fearing the worst when Evalds joined Lewis and May on the sidelines inside the opening two minutes but they watched their side take a firm grip on the game after Jayden Nikorima saw yellow for the tackle that left the full-back nursing a concussion.

Salford, who had lost on their previous seven visits to east Hull, simply crumbled, conceding twice in Nikorima's absence to give Rovers all the encouragement they needed.

Replacement Kelepi Tanginoa made his mark with his first touch, taking Danny Richardson's short ball and brushing aside Marc Sneyd to score the softest of tries from a defensive perspective.

Martin forced a drop-out with a smart grubber to keep Salford on the back foot and they did not offer much resistance in the next set, Elliot Minchella's late offload creating the space that allowed KR's left edge to give Oliver Gildart a clear run to the tryline.

When Tom Davies finished another swift move on the opposite flank, the Red Devils were in damage limitation mode just 13 minutes in.

Davies' try was soured by the sight of Martin hobbling off but Richardson added a pair of penalties to his touchline conversion to put clear daylight between the sides at 20-0.

Salford stemmed the bleeding before half-time before folding at the first sign of danger after the interval.

There appeared to be nothing on when Jack Broadbent received the ball 25 metres out but he ghosted past Nikorima with the help of a dummy to open the second-half scoring.

Salford hampered themselves with ill-discipline throughout a scrappy contest, Justin Sangare gifting Rovers a penalty with a needless push deep in the away side's half before watching Jai Whitbread crash over from close range.

Richardson could not maintain his perfect record from the tee but the Robins were already home and hosed.

Whitbread completed the first brace of his career when he took Jez Litten's pass to saunter over and Rovers enjoyed another spell against 12 men after Chris Hill was sin-binned for persistent offending.

Litten had the last word from a deflected kick to complete a job well done and compound Salford's early-season woes.

Hull KR: Evalds, Davies, Broadbent, Gildart, Burgess, Hiku, Richardson, Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Martin, Batchelor, Minchella. Substitutes: Litten, Hadley, Whitbread, Tanginoa.

Tries: Tanginoa (3), Gildart (8), Davies (13), Broadbent (45), Whitbread (51, 60), Litten (71)

Goals: Martin 1/2, Richardson 6/7

Salford Red Devils: Brierley, Cross, Marsters, Lafai, Macdonald, Nikorima, Sneyd, Ormondroyd, Atkin, Singleton, Watkins, Wright, Hill. Substitutes: Sangare, Hankinson, Bullock, Chan.

Sin bin: Nikorima (2), Hill (65)

Referee: Aaron Moore.