Huddersfield Giants 26-12 Hull KR: Chris McQueen scores two tries as Huddersfield continue winning start
Huddersfield Giants make it two wins from two with victory at the John Smith's Stadium; Chris McQueen scores a brace with Luke Yates, Josh Jones and Jermaine McGillvary also crossing for tries; Brad Takairangi and Mikey Lewis score for winless Hull KR
By PA Media
Last Updated: 19/02/22 7:57pm
Chris McQueen scored two tries as tough-tackling Huddersfield continued their perfect start to the season with a hard fought 26-12 win over Hull KR.
The Giants, comprehensive victors at Toulouse in the opening round of fixtures, earned their victory through five tries from McQueen (two), Luke Yates, Josh Jones and Jermaine McGillvary to join St Helens, Wigan and Warrington as unbeaten at the top of Super League.
Rovers replied through second-half tries from Brad Takairangi and Mikey Lewis but the result leaves them pointless following their earlier home defeat by Wigan.
On a pitch which held up remarkably well to Storm Eunice and a morning mixture of steady rain and snow, Oliver Russell failed to take advantage of an early penalty 40 metres out.
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Huddersfield still went ahead when Rovers could not deal with a high kick from Theo Fages to the corner, allowing the ball to be helped free by Leroy Cudjoe for McQueen to cross.
Again Russell was unable to bisect the posts but, after Chris Hill had gone within a metre of extending the home side's lead and Innes Senior had caused some consternation with a well-weighted kick in goal, Yates ran onto a short Danny Levi pass for the Giants' second try.
This time Russell had no trouble adding the extras from in front of the posts and when Jones, with Senior outside him, dummied his way past a bewildered Rovers defender to score again, the home side were able to take a 16-0 lead into the break.
The Giants continued their dominance and, within five minutes of the restart, winter recruits Fages and Tui Lolohea created a try for prolific scoring winger McGillvary.
Once more Russell struggled with the touchline conversion and the visitors, cheered throughout by a sizeable travelling support, got back into the game when Takairangi ran onto a neat Jordan Abdull grubber for a try converted by Abdull.
Ryan Hall was held up and finally forced into touch by Lolohea, Fages and McGillvary as the Robins pressed for more.
Again the men from Craven Park pushed forward and Lewis scored another late consolation which Abdull converted, but the Giants bravely clung on to seal victory and and secure a fifth straight home win over Rovers.
McQueen claimed his second and Giants' fifth try, converted by Lolohea, with the last act of the game.
Hill was sin-binned for an altercation with Lewis following his 74th-minute try, while Russell and Lewis finished with two goals a piece.