Practice makes perfect for Hull KR against sorry Leeds Rhinos

Hull KR's Craig Hall slips between Leeds's Tuimoala Lolohea & Jamie Jones-Buchanan. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

The tall 31-year-old was at his clinical best for Rovers, making a series of piercing runs and coming up with a try-scoring assist in Thursday’s much-needed 45-26 victory.

It was a first win in four games for Tim Sheens’s side and Hall – filling in at full-back as Adam Quinlan continues to rehab following a knee reconstruction – proved a constant threat in midfield.

“Some of the things we practiced this week paid off,” said the former Hull FC player, who started the season on the wing.

“They don’t always, but they did against Leeds.

“I managed to turn up at the right place at the right time and until we get a ‘proper’ full-back, I’ll keep putting my hand up to play there.

“Danny McGuire and Josh Drinkwater are always talking and working on creating those chances for us and it was great to get the win.”

Rampant Rovers had stormed into a 30-6 lead during the first period only to see Leeds fight back to 31-22 heading into the final quarter.

Sheens’s side had let leads slip before this season, including losing at home to Salford Red Devils after being 22-8 ahead.

But they finished powerfully this time to make sure.

“If we’d have finished like that in a few games we’ve had at home we’d be third or fourth in the table,” said Hall.

“It was really good to finish like that.

“We didn’t start thinking about that Salford game.

“We went with the wind first half and it was obviously stronger than it looked. I kicked one out on the full and they did a couple of times, too. So we knew the first 15, 20 minutes of the second half was going to be tough.

“Leeds came out at us but to weather it and then kick-on like we did is definitely good for confidence and good for the team.”

They break off for the Challenge Cup on Thursday when Leigh Centurions – the club Hall left to re-join KR last July – visit KCOM Craven Park.

Meanwhile, Leeds remain bottom after losing for an eighth time in their 10 games so far.

James Donaldson, the back-row making his first return to KCOM Craven Park after being released by Rovers last autumn, said: “We didn’t want to dig in, dig our heels in and work hard for each other.

“We can score points – you can see that – but every time our attitude in defence is just shocking.

“We’d worked hard to beat Cas last week and start building so to then to come up with that it’s just ruined it all really. Shocking.”