St Helens 6 Hull KR 42: Rampant Robins flex muscles to end hoodoo and make fresh statement

The Robins were irrepressible in the Totally Wicked Stadium sunshine, a far cry from the days when they rolled in sheepishly and rolled back out with their tails between their legs.

On Saturday afternoon, Rovers arrived with a swagger and must have left feeling unstoppable after swatting aside the 10-time Super League champions to claim another statement victory.

KR were the favourites for an away game against St Helens for the first time in generations and they did not disappoint, racing into a 20-0 lead inside the opening quarter and adding another try before half-time to leave the field to a chorus of "And now you're gonna believe us, we're gonna win the league" from the strong travelling contingent.

On the evidence of this performance – one that ended an 11-year wait for a win at the Totally Wicked Stadium and strengthened their position at the top – few would argue.

Joe Burgess helped himself to four tries as part of a right edge that cut the hosts to ribbons, with Tyrone May, Niall Evalds and Peta Hiku all playing central roles.

The challenge for KR is to maintain this scintillating form all the way through to the play-offs when the top teams usually come into their own.

The injury-hit Saints will certainly not forget the two humbling defeats they have suffered against the Robins during the regular season.

However, they face a fight to even qualify for the play-offs following a seventh defeat in nine matches.

Rovers have no such problems after moving to within four games of ending their 39-year wait for a major trophy as a potential League Leaders' Shield decider at Wigan Warriors comes into view.

With an extra layer of belief from a rare win at St Helens, albeit a version missing a whole host of star men, the Robins have nothing to fear.

An 11th victory in 12 games was never in doubt following a blistering start against the shell-shocked hosts, whose misery was compounded by a late red card for Tommy Makinson.

Saints' relative inexperience was on show in the opening seconds when youngsters Harry Robertson and George Whitby got in each other's way from the kick-off.

The buoyant Robins duly made St Helens pay after working them over as they scrambled to defend their tryline.

With Saints still recovering from a powerful drive and a late offload from Jesse Sue, Burgess finished a slick move to the right in a tight space.

St Helens belatedly got a meaningful touch of the ball in the seventh minute but they were soon retreating again as Rovers slipped through the gears, aided by a loose high tackle by Waqa Blake on a falling Jack Broadbent that earned him 10 minutes in the sin bin.

KR scored twice in the centre's absence after taking advantage of the extra space on Saints' right edge.

The Robins turned a loose pass from May into an opportunity for Ryan Hall to race into open field and put Mikey Lewis over for his 15th try of the season before striking gold again five minutes later.

With St Helens preoccupied by the runners on his outside, May cruised over virtually untouched to the disbelief of the home fans behind the posts.

Blake returned to find his team bailing water and he could do nothing to turn the tide.

Burgess finished another flowing move to the right and had an opportunity to lay on KR's fifth try for James Batchelor after streaking away down the flank, only for the back-rower to be crowded out following a juggle.

After Matt Parcell had a try ruled out for a forward pass in the build-up, Saints' luck eventually ran out.

More sensational handling from Rovers' right edge gave Burgess another opportunity to race clear and he was not going to pass this one up, seeing off a flailing Robertson to complete his hat-trick.

The one time St Helens threatened following a break from deep by Tee Ritson, the Robins showed the other side of their game to snuff out the danger.

Experienced winger Makinson moved over to the left just before half-time but the horse was long gone.

After picking Saints apart almost at will in the opening 40 minutes, Rovers scored their first try of the second half thanks to the brute strength of Kelepi Tanginoa from close range.

KR played within themselves from thereon in but such was their dominance, Willie Peters would not have been happy with the concession of a sloppy try.

There appeared to be no danger when Whitby sent a grubber kick into the in-goal area, only for Evalds to fumble the ball to give the half-back the chance to mark his debut with a try.

That only served to spark Rovers back into life, Burgess adding his fourth from a superb pass by May.

Makinson saw red after making contact with the head of May before Jai Whitbread finished Lewis' chip over the top to complete a near-perfect afternoon for the Robins.

St Helens: Robertson, Makinson, Blake, Vaughan, Ritson, Lomax, Whitby, Delaney, Mbye, Lees, Whitley, Mata'utia, Batchelor. Substitutes: Paasi, Royle, Burns, Stephens.

Tries: Whitby (65)

Goals: Whitby 1/1

Sin bin: Blake (8)

Red card: Makinson (75)

Hull KR: Evalds, Burgess, Hiku, Broadbent, Hall, May, Lewis, Sue, Parcell, Whitbread, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella. Substitutes: Litten, Luckley, Storton, Tanginoa.

Tries: Burgess (3, 20, 34, 70), Lewis (11), May (16), Tanginoa (48), Whitbread (76)

Goals: Lewis 5/8

Referee: Chris Kendall.