Giants win entertaining Bank Holiday battle

Huddersfield Giants (22) 40

Tries: Russell, Jones, Wood, Leutele, Pryce, Greenwood, Peteru

Goals: Pryce (6)

Drop Goals:

Hull KR (12) 28

Tries: Lewis, Linnett (2), Minikin, Hall

Goals: Milnes

Drop Goals: 

Huddersfield Giants: Ashall-Bott; Wood, Wardle, Leutele, Cudjoe; Russell, Pryce; Greenwood, Peats, Lawrence; Jones, Yates; McQueen

Interchanges: Hewitt, Cogger, English, Peteru

Hull KR: Crooks; Minikin, Takairangi, Kenny-Dowell, Hall; Lewis, Milnes; Vete, Litten, King; Linnett, Johnson, Lawler

Interchanges: Parcell, Storton, Maher, Mustapha

Huddersfield Giants scored seven tries in a tubthumping win at the John Smith's Stadium against Hull KR, triumphing 40-28 in the Betfred Super League. 

The Giants welcomed back Michael Lawrence to their starting line-up after a spell out injured, and recalled Olly Ashall-Bott and Sam Wood to the back-three, replacing Jermaine McGillvary and Ashton Golding. Jack Cogger played a role from the bench alongside Sam Hewitt, Matty English and Nathaniel Peteru. 

Huddersfield had early spells of possession and territory, but the visitors opened the scoring through Michael Lewis, who powered his way over the line after seven minutes. He was, however, unable to convert the try, leaving the scores at 4-0. 

The early lead would nevertheless be short lived, as a mistake collecting the kick allowed Oliver Russell to touchdown to level the game 9 minutes later. He too was unable to convert, maintaining the parity.

But once again, in an entertaining first half, parity wouldn't be maintained for long. Huddersfield managed to score through Josh Jones, who's jinking run created the space to touchdown. Will Pryce, stepping up for the conversion managed to hit the target and the Giants went up six points towards the end of the first quarter. 

With ten to play in the first stanza, Huddersfield gifted the KR attack a golden opportunity as a penalty failed to find touch, and the dangerous Rovers left edge profited through Kane Linnett, who touched down to put Rovers within two points. Crooks, however, was unable once again to land the extras, and the Giants lead held going into the final ten of the first half. 

And they would extend that lead, as just a few minutes later would find juke his way through the Robins' right-edge defence to score a tremendous score. Pryce's conversion was good, extending the Giants lead to eight points. 

A minute later, they would extend their lead again, courtesy of a fantastic pass by Olly Russell, finding Sam Wood in the corner, who booted the ball into the Fantastic Media Stand in celebration. Pryce hit his third conversion of the night to make the scores 22-8 with less than a minute left on the clock. 

In such a ding-dong battle, it was axiomatic that Wood's try wouldn't be the final word. Rovers attacked again and touched down through the right-edge, with Greg Minikin getting Hull KR within ten as the clock struck 0:00 on an entertaining first half. Crooks sent the conversion wide again, however, and the 10 point lead for the Giants would be maintained into the break. 

Rovers would go back to back either side of the break, opening the scoring in the second half with a move finished off by Ryan Hall. Ben Crooks once again missed the conversion however. The Giants, however, responded with a try of pure quality from Will Pryce, who added the extras to his own try to make the scores 28-16 with 25 remaining. 

The Giants would score again 9 minutes later courtesy of Joe Greenwood, who finished off a good move after a spell of pressure caused by a repeat set on the KR line. Pryce would convert again, and the Giants would go up 34-16 with 15 remaining. 

The Robins would keep the end-to-end nature of the game alive with a try of their own with 7 left on the clock, as Kane Linnett touched down for his second of the night and Rowen Milnes found the uprights for the first time on the evening, ensuring that the Giants were kept honest leading into the final five of the match.

In an game played at a furious attacking pace, Nathaniel Peteru continued the scoring pattern of the game by touching down from a short range run. Pryce continued his perfect run of scoring from the boot to go six-from-six on the night. 

But the two sides weren't done there, as a break through the centre of the pitch allowed Matt Parcell to score under the sticks, with Milnes collecting his second conversion of the night from close range. That would be the final score of an entertaining Monday Night of Rugby for the Giants. Next up, Magic Weekend at Newcastle against local rivals Wakefield Trinity. Buy your tickets now!