Super League round-up: James Roby scores try on record-breaking appearance as St Helens beat Hull KR
Elsewhere Wakefield Trinity beat Warrington Wolves after going behind four times in the match, while Castleford Tigers defeated bottom-club Toulouse 20-14
Sunday 12 June 2022 19:50, UK
James Roby crowned the day he set the record for the most Betfred Super League appearances with a try as leaders St Helens were made to work hard for a 26-18 victory over Hull KR at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Roby had been level with another Super League great, Kevin Sinfield, but is now out on his own at the top of the chart on 455 top-flight games.
Players and staff from both sides formed a guard of honour for the Saints skipper, who has played his entire 18-year career for St Helens, having signed for them at the age of 16. And, with a perfect sense of occasion, Roby scored in the 17th minute.
Tommy Makinson weighed in with a try and three goals as Saints made it four straight wins since their Challenge Cup semi-final defeat to Wigan.
Hull KR proved tenacious opponents with their full-back, former Saints favourite Lachlan Coote impressing on his return to his old club with two tries and three goals.
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Saints were without the suspended Sione Mata'utia, while Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Mark Percival were also notable absentees through injury.
Saints had won their last 11 meetings against the Robins and took the lead in the second minute when Makinson went in at the corner after Konrad Hurrell did brilliantly to keep the ball alive as he was going out of play.
On the stroke of half-time, Hull KR were reduced to 12 men when Matt Parcell was sin-binned for holding down in front of his own posts.
With the hooter sounding, Saints opted to go for goal and Makinson made no mistake to make it 18-12 at the break.
With 15 minutes remaining, Saints wrapped up the victory with a try from Hurrell, taking Hopate's pass at pace to score in the corner on the back of breaks from Roby and Jonny Lomax.
Wakefield Trinity 30-24 Warrington Wolves
Two late tries helped Wakefield Trinity secure an exciting 30-24 victory over Warrington Wolves.
Warrington went ahead four times at the Mobile Rocket Stadium but the home side pegged them back on each occasion and finally took the lead for the first time with three minutes left.
That came through a try from Kelepi Tanginoa, which was converted by Mason Lino to see Wakefield home.
The result lifted Trinity six points clear of bottom side Toulouse, while Warrington have now lost five matches in a row.
Warrington scored the first points of the match in the 14th minute after withstanding early pressure, Daryl Clark finding a gap to cross for a try that was converted by Stefan Ratchford.
It did not take Wakefield long to pull level, though, James Batchelor capitalising in the 19th minute after Warrington failed to deal with Lino's high kick, setting the tone for the remainder of the match.
Warrington were back in front in the 34th minute through Gareth Widdop only to see Wakefield hit back courtesy of Matty Ashurst to make it 12-12 at the break, after which Connor Wrench's try was responded to by Batchelor's score of the game.
Matty Ashton turned an interception into Warrington's fourth score in the 63rd minute, prompting a reply from Liam Hood seven minutes later until Wakefield capped the win for good through Tanginoa's try and a fifth conversion from Lino.
Toulouse 14-20 Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers sizzled in the sunshine of Toulouse with a hard-fought 20-14 victory over Super League's battling bottom club.
The Tigers more than coped with the loss of injured scrum-half Gareth O'Brien with a brave and defiant performance against the struggling hosts.
A dynamic handling and kicking display by Danny Richardson in his first full game back at number seven, following a long-term neck injury, inspired the Tigers from start to finish.
It took until the 25th minute before the tense deadlock was broken when Toulouse earned two set restarts and a penalty to put pressure on the Castleford line where full-back Olly Ashall-Bott glided through some tiring defence. Chris Hankinson's conversion put Toulouse 6-0 ahead.
But Castleford hit back when Ashall-Bott lost the ball in midfield and substitute Suaia Matagi forced his way over the line seven minutes from half-time, Richardson's conversion levelling the scores.
A Richardson penalty later edged the Tigers in front but Toulouse hit back when they forced Mahe Fonua into touch and earned a penalty of their own, Hankinson stepping up to draw level once more.
Fonua made up for his mistake by forcing his way over the line with a powerful short-range burst in the 72nd minute, Richardson again on target to put Castleford 20-14 in front for good.