Hunslet fail to hold on to interval lead

The visitors opened the scoring via Richie Barnett, while George Flanagan also added a first-half try, Simon Brown converting the latter.

But Rochdale twice levelled with tries from Joe Philbin, and a Paul Crook conversion.

Brown’s kick saw Mo Agoro cross to give Hunslet a four point advantage at half-time. But tries from Wayne English, Samir Tahraoui and Stuart Biscomb sent the Hornets on their way to an opening day win, Barnett replying with a try late on for Hunslet.

Rochdale: English, Riley, Taira, Johnson, Lee, Crook, Yates, Tahraoui, Moores, Thompson, Philbin, Case, Tilley. Substitutes: McClurg, Hadden, Biscomb, Evans.

Hunslet: Watson, Agoro, Duckworth, Mvududu, Barnett, Brown, Ansell, Haley, Lee, Reed, Crane, Normington, Williams. Substitutes: Flanagan, Bell, Carbutt, Johnson.