‘I know the boys are hurting, but we have got to learn from it’ – Hull KR message after Challenge Cup final loss

The Robins lead the race for the final play-off spot, but face a tough return to league competition at St Helens on Friday and, with six games remaining in the regular season, there is work to be done if they are to have another shot at a major final this year.

Forward Kane Linnett admits that won’t be easy, but insists the focus now is on making sure they take something positive from last Saturday’s golden-point pain.

“We’ve been in quite a few of those games this year and we’ve come up with the result on previous occasions, but this time we just fell a bit short,” said the Australian-born second-rower of the 17-16 loss to Leigh Leopards.

“Obviously I am really gutted, but proud of the boys’ efforts. It has got to hurt, but we have got to learn from it and put that hurt to good use.”

A tense, if scrappy, tie exploded into life in the final 15 minutes of normal time, after Tom Briscoe’s try, converted by Ben Reynolds, gave Leigh a six-point advantage.

Rovers staged a series of desperate raids on Leigh’s line and were rewarded in the dying moments when Brad Schneider’s kick rebounded in-goal and Matt Parcell touched down.

The try was awarded by video referee Liam Moore, after a long delay and Schneider’s conversion sent the game into extra-time. Both Leigh’s Lachlan Lam and Schneider failed to hit the target with drop goal attempts before the former landed the winning one-pointer, to leave Hull KR’s players and fans shattered.

Reflecting on possibly the most dramatic finale to a match at Wembley, Linnett said: “We have got a game on Friday and we have got to keep turning up for each other.

“Our effort has been there, we have got a few players out injured, but the boys who have come in have been unbelievable. I know the boys are hurting, but we have got to stay nice and connected. We are disappointed, but we’re looking forward to playing back in Super League now.”

Having gone so close, the disappointment of last weekend’s defeat will linger, but Linnett stressed the overall Challenge Cup final experience is something he will never forget.

“It was an amazing atmosphere and an amazing week,” recalled the 34-year-old. “All the fans turned up when we left Craven Park and we really wanted to bring the Cup home for them, but hopefully they are all proud of our efforts.

“We’re just disappointed we couldn’t get the job done, but we will be better for that performance. We have got a lot of young boys who haven’t played in big games, but we were in the game and in the fight. It was a real warm wrestle and it could have gone the other way.

“Hopefully we are challenging for another trophy at the end of the year. That’s what we have got to turn our attention to now.”

Schneider, a loan signing from Australian club Canberra Raiders, had kicked a golden-point winning drop goal in two of his three previous games for the Robins, including the semi-final defeat of Wigan Warriors,

He kept his nerve to land the equalising conversion, in the 79th minute, but fell short with an attempted one-pointer in extra-time, after failing to find touch with a penalty moments earlier.

That attack was Rovers’ one chance to win the final, but Linnett insisted Schneider was not to blame.

“Our whole attacking set leading to that field goal was a bit off,” he conceded. “We probably went a bit one-out and we were too far out, really, to kick it from there.

“We probably should have just kicked it in the corner, but would’ve have, could have, should have…we will learn from it.”