Rovers v Wolves: Teams
Hull KR will hope for a repeat of their Murrayfield Magic showing in the Challenge Cup on Saturday.
Last Updated: 29/05/09 4:19pm
Hull KR will hope for a repeat of their Murrayfield Magic showing in the Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
The Robins ran out 36-28 winners in Edinburgh and they lead their opposition by nine points in the Super League standings as a result.
Indeed, Justin Morgan's side currently sit second in the table, just a point behind St Helens, and are on a six-match winning run.
They knocked out the Sheffield Eagles to make it into the last eight on May 10 and followed that up with successes against Wigan and Castleford.
Morgan's side now have the chance to make it a perfect month, although the man who took Toulouse to a shock semi-final appearance four years ago is anticipating a close-fought encounter.
"We've taken some decent form with us over the last month or so and they're finding some really good form," he said.
"They're a star-studded team and they've settled down under Tony Smith. It all points to a great game."
The Robins can also draw on one of their most famous cup victories for inspiration when, as a non-Super League club, they won 40-36 in a sixth round home tie against the Wolves.
Jason Netherton, Scott Murrell, Ben Fisher and Makali Aizue are the survivors from that team, with the latter three all included in the squad for Saturday.
Revival
Warrington Wolves have yet to win on their travels to Craven Park in the competition, but they did win there 36-24 in Super League last season and triumphed 24-12 at home early in the current campaign.
Wolves coach Smith has overseen a revival in the club's fortunes since he took to the helm, and in fact his first win came in that victory over Rovers in March.
Warrington still sit outside the play-off places following their poor start, but made the quarter-finals thanks to a 56-8 trouncing of Featherstone on May 10.
Since then they have gone on to edge out Hull FC and Wigan and Smith is also predicting a tight affair.
"We've been pretty evenly matched this year," said Smith. "We've played each other twice and both were hard-fought games.
"You wouldn't think so if you looked at the competition table. They're quite a few positions ahead of us and they're probably firm favourites in a lot of people's eyes.
"They're playing well and we like to think we're doing okay at the moment too."
Mike Cooper replaces Matt Blythe in the only change to the Warrington squad from the one that took out Wigan, while Simon Grix, who is one of five survivors from that shock defeat at Craven Park in 2006, is also included.
Hull KR squad: Brisco, Fox, Welham, Webster, Colbon, Cooke, Dobson, Fozzard, Fisher, Newton, Galea, Gene, Walker, Murrell, Fitzhenry, Aizue, Wheeldon, I'anson, Mills
Warrington squad: Anderson, Anderson, Bridge, Briers, Carvell, Clarke, Cooper, Grix, Harrison, Hicks, Higham, King, Mathers, Monaghan, Morley, Rauhihi, Riley, Westwood, Wood