Hull KR's Lunt making up for lost time afer double injury nightmare

The ex-England hooker made his return from a two-month lay-off in Sunday’s dramatic 24-24 draw at Castleford Tigers.

It was only his seventh game all season having suffered two different knee injuries.

Lunt admitted: “These last ten to 12 weeks have been awful.

“I missed five games, came back, played the full 80 against Widnes and felt great.

“But then I played just 90 seconds against Warrington and it just knocks you right back.

“You get paid to play and when you are sat watching the boys not winning and you know there’s a chance of going down at the end of the season it’s not nice. I’m lucky I’ve a very understanding wife and two kids as they copped the brunt of my shortness; they have been my rock.”

The ex-Huddersfield Giants and Leeds Rhinos player helped struggling Robins fight back from 24-12 down to earn a rare point.

Lunt explained: “I’ve said it time and time again that as a team we do the hard things easy but the easy things so hard.

“We turn the ball over on the first tackle but then we get on our tryline, do four or five sets of six defending and go back down the other end to score.

“We are doing the hard stuff and you can’t buy that. Speaking to Joel (Tomkins) he can’t believe how strong the boys are and how there’s just no bitchiness.

“He loves it and I thought he was fantastic in his first game; he really added size to that right edge and was really dangerous.”

Meanwhile, with no game this weekend, Lunt does have a treat for his suffering wife.

“We got married before Christmas but had not been able to get away so we’re going on a belated honeymoon to Majorca for four or five days,” he said.

“Because I missed so long I wanted to be playing again but there’s no game due tot he England Test.

“I’ll get away from rugby, get refreshed and back ready for the Huddersfield Giants match.”

With fellow hooker Aaron Smith feeling ill during the game at Castleford, Lunt played longer than expected on his return to action for Tim Sheens’ side.

But he said: “I’m glad he (Sheens) kept me on.

“There was times when I was cramping up in both calves but sometimes it’s good to just get through that.

“And it was good for my mental state to get those minutes under my belt.

“I’d only played two games in the last 10 or 12 and you do wonder how you’ll get on against such a good side that plays so quick as well.

“But I felt great given how long I’d been out. Don’t get me wrong, I’d be lying if I said I’m not sore.

“I’m very sore at the moment but it’s great to be back and there’s a lot more improvement in me.”