Hull KR beats Brisbane Broncos 30-28 to win World Club Challenge

Hull KR stuns Brisbane Broncos in World Club Challenge

Hull Kingston Rovers defeated NRL champions Brisbane Broncos 30-28 to win the World Club Challenge. The Super League champions withstood a furious second-half comeback to claim the title at MKM Stadium.

The victory makes Hull KR only the sixth English club to win the competition since 1987. They now hold all four major titles, becoming the first side to achieve the quadruple over two seasons since St Helens in 2006-07.

A dominant first half sets the stage

Hull KR shocked the Broncos with an astonishing first-half performance. Mikey Lewis's kicking game forced repeated errors from the Australian side, who were playing their first match since October.

Tries from debutant Tom Amone, Elliot Minchella, Joe Burgess, Oliver Gildart, and Peta Hiku opened up a 30-4 lead. Brisbane's only reply was a single try from Gehamat Shibasaki.

The Robins showed no weakness from their shock defeat to York Knights the previous week. They stormed onto the attack immediately, with Lewis testing the visitors relentlessly.

Broncos mount a furious comeback

Brisbane, known for their comeback victories in last year's NRL finals, then scored four tries in just 16 minutes. Patrick Carrigan, Deine Mariner, Shibasaki again, and Kotoni Staggs crossed the line to bring the score to 30-28.

The 24,000 fans watched in growing disbelief as the 26-point lead nearly evaporated. In a tense finale, the exhausted Robins somehow held out for the win.

The difference on the night proved to be goal-kicking. Adam Reynolds missed three conversions for Brisbane, while Arthur Mourgue and Rhyse Martin combined for five successful kicks for Hull KR.

Coaches react to the historic result

Hull KR head coach Willie Peters expressed pride in his team's effort. "I'm proud of everyone involved in our club," Peters told BBC Sport. "We had a responsibility for more than our local community, it was for Super League and the British game and we did them proud."

He acknowledged the tense finish, stating, "When they got one or two [tries] I knew they'd get another one. We found some grit when we needed to."

Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire called the loss a wake-up call. "It's a good lesson," Maguire said. "You're learning all the time. You have to make sure you're on your game."

He pointed to early errors, saying, "We made some errors in the first part of the game and put pressure on ourselves. You have a moment off and all of a sudden you get beaten."

Key performers and turning points

Mikey Lewis and Jez Litten were instrumental for Hull KR, with their kicking and passing creating multiple tries. For Brisbane, Reece Walsh showed flashes of brilliance but was also error-prone at crucial moments.

The first try of the second half proved vital. Lewis's high ball was spilled by Mariner, leading directly to Oliver Gildart's try that extended Hull KR's lead.

Notable individual achievements included:

• Joe Burgess scoring, having also scored a hat-trick for Wigan in the 2017 World Club Challenge.
• Oliver Gildart, another former Wigan player, scoring against NRL opposition again.
• Hull KR contesting and winning their first-ever World Club Challenge.

What the result means for both clubs

The victory completes a remarkable journey for Hull KR, who were on the brink of extinction 25 years ago. They have now recovered to win the domestic treble and a world title.

For the Broncos, the defeat serves as a stark opening to their season. It highlights the challenge of transitioning from a long off-season into a high-stakes match against a battle-ready opponent.

The teams lined up as follows:

Hull KR: Mourgue; Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess; Lewis, May; Sue, Litten, Amone, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella. Interchanges: Luckley, Whitbread, Martin, Lawton.

Brisbane Broncos: Walsh; Karapani, Staggs, Shibasaki, Mariner; Mam, Reynolds; Jensen, Paix, Haas, Gosiewski, Riki, Carrigan. Interchanges: Hunt, Willison, Talty, Tawha.