There is no doubting Tony Smith has changed the perception and the ambition of Hull KR during his three years in charge. However, there is a danger his reign could end with somewhat of a damp squib if this form continues.
It is now four consecutive defeats in league and cup for Rovers, which have come since Smith announced he would be leaving at the end of the season. That is almost certainly a coincidence but given his side have fallen out of the Super League playoff places and suffered defeat in the Challenge Cup semi-finals, there is understandably cause for concern about their season petering out.
There was certainly an improvement on recent performances here, not least in the opening half-hour. Rovers dominated Catalans in the early stages but had only Ben Crooks’s try and two goals from Lachlan Coote to show for it.
It arguably should have been more and Catalans made them pay with 20 unanswered points that kept them within two points of the Super League leaders, St Helens.
“We needed to take a couple more of those chances in that first half,” said Smith. “They wore us down but the effort was great. We’ve turned the corner a bit.”
Buoyed on by a boisterous home crowd, Rovers were good value for their early 8-0 lead, the try coming when Crooks leaped highest to snare Rowan Milnes’ well-weighted kick.
Coote converted and then added a penalty but as half-time approached Catalans began to come into the contest. The try that halved the deficit came courtesy of a miraculous finish from Tom Davies, who grounded the ball in mid-air after being sent away by a flick pass from Tyrone May.
“We were way off the mark in that first half, but we only conceded one try and if you can defend your line, you give yourself a chance,” said the Catalans coach, Steve McNamara.
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The second half was a different story. Rovers huffed and puffed but the game swung on an interception from the young French centre Mathieu Laguerre, who picked off a Will Dagger pass to race the length of the field. Arthur Mourgue converted to put Catalans ahead for the first time and they never looked back.
Fouad Yaha replicated Davies with an equally acrobatic finish to put daylight between the sides, before two penalties from the boot of Mourgue in the final quarter eased any nerves among the Catalans players.
These two met in a playoff semi-final last year but on recent evidence only one is in contention for the Grand Final this season.
