Hull KR 48 York Knights 10: Holders ease into semi-finals to continue impressive Challenge Cup record
From almost nowhere, Hull KR are becoming the ultimate Challenge Cup team.
Saturday's comprehensive victory over York Knights secured a semi-final place for the fifth consecutive year.
To put that feat into context, the Robins had reached the last four only twice in the summer era prior to this run.
The next step is to make a habit of winning the competition after ending their 45-year wait last season.
Unbeaten in knockout games since the 2024 Super League Grand Final, stopping Willie Peters' side from going back-to-back will take a special effort.
That said, they have yet to be truly tested in this year's Challenge Cup after a favourable run of ties against amateur side Lock Lane, an injury-ravaged Huddersfield Giants and a depleted York.
The Knights stunned the 2025 treble winners on the opening night of Super League but two months is a long time in sport.
The demands of the top level have quickly caught up with Mark Applegarth's team, who were without a whole host of influential figures for the Craven Park clash.
Rovers, by contrast, were close to full strength and duly avenged their humbling defeat at the LNER Community Stadium in February.
The Robins took a 24-6 lead into half-time and finished with eight tries in another resounding Challenge Cup triumph.
Tyrone May led the way with a hat-trick but it was half-back partner Mikey Lewis who lit up the tie with a sublime solo try.
While KR will face sterner tests of their trophy credentials in the coming weeks and months, they have looked more like their old selves in recent games following a gruelling start to the campaign.
Their long-awaited return to Craven Park has sparked the all-conquering Robins into life, as was always likely for a team that find another level in front of their home fans.
A third straight win was never in doubt on a blustery afternoon in East Hull.
It took Rovers just 90 seconds to break the deadlock. Lewis sliced straight through York's right edge and the visitors failed to recover, May streaking clear to finish from Oliver Gildart's offload.
When Jesse Sue crashed over from short range, the writing was already on the wall for the patched-up Knights.
York are nothing if not spirited under Applegarth, though, and struck next through Xavier Va'a.
Joe Burgess failed to deal with Ata Hingano's cross-field kick, Lewis' short drop-out held up in the wind and Va'a took advantage with a strong finish in the next set.
That try aside, Rovers, while far from perfect, dominated and were out of sight by half-time.
Jack Broadbent strolled over on a last-tackle powerplay before Rhyse Martin gave the Knights a nod of respect with a penalty following a spell of pressure on the away side's line.
Jai Whitbread went over next to the posts to continue the scoring and only the video referee prevented Lewis from adding a fifth try before the break.
However, nobody could stop the half-back from sprinkling his stardust on the tie in the early stages of the second half.
After chipping over the defence in trademark fashion with no full-back at home, the chance appeared to have gone when he failed to get the bounce – but Lewis found a way as all special players do. He first had to reach back to palm the ball forward without breaking stride before regathering it and finishing acrobatically with inches to spare.
It was a try worthy of winning the final itself. In the end, Lewis' moment of magic was the highlight of an otherwise routine quarter-final victory for the Robins.
To their credit, York were dogged throughout and caused the holders a problem or two with the ball. They had a second try to celebrate when Myles Harrison finished in a tight space in the left corner.
But this was Hull KR's afternoon as they moved to within 80 minutes of a return to Wembley.
May dummied his way over after the Knights made a mess of the restart before completing his treble from Broadbent's offload.
Burgess had the final word with a spectacular finish in the corner on the last play of a one-sided cup tie.
Hull KR: Broadbent, Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess, Lewis, May, Sue, Litten, Amone, Martin, Batchelor, Hadley. Substitutes: Luckley, Whitbread, Brown, Lawton.
Tries: May (2, 64, 67), Sue (8), Broadbent (16), Whitbread (35), Lewis (51), Burgess (80).
Goals: Martin 4/5, Lewis 3/3, Litten 1/1.
York Knights: Williams, Harrison, Law, Buchanan, Galeano, Hingano, McShane, Va'a, Balmforth, Vaughan, Field, Dee, Griffin. Substitutes: Martin, Sangare, Cook, Smith.
Tries: Va'a (13), Harrison (62).
Goals: Harrison 1/2.
Referee: Marcus Griffiths.