Reigning champions Hull KR are back in business. After a shaky start to their title defence, the Robins have roared back to form with a stunning 50-6 demolition of Castleford at Craven Park, extending their winning streak to six games across all competitions.
The victory, which saw Hull KR complete a perfect April, cuts the gap on league leaders Leeds to just two points. It's a remarkable turnaround for a side that lost three of their first four games this season, but now looks every bit the championship contender that beat Wigan in last year's Grand Final.
From the opening whistle, this was a masterclass in ruthless rugby. Karl Lawton set the tone, pouncing on a loose ball to open the scoring before powering through for his second try. The Robins were relentless, scoring with virtually every set as Castleford's defence crumbled under the pressure.
Debutant Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e had a night to forget, losing the ball in a tackle just metres from his own line to gift Tom Amone a try. Tom Davies then showed his class, beating a tame tackle from Jason Qareqare to score in the corner, before Dean Hadley and Davies again added tries either side of half-time to put the game beyond doubt.
The second half followed the same script. Darnell McIntosh spilled the ball behind his own tryline, allowing Mikey Lewis to fall on it for Hull KR's seventh try. Joe Burgess added another in the corner before Davies completed a brilliant hat-trick with six minutes remaining to bring up the half-century.
Castleford, who shipped 50 points to Hull FC just a week ago, were their own worst enemies. They missed 22 tackles in a first half riddled with errors and could never build any momentum. The visitors finally got on the board in the dying seconds when Laulu-Togaga'e kicked through for Krystian Mapapalangi to score, but it was little consolation.
For Hull KR, the timing couldn't be better. Coach Willie Peters, who is leaving at the end of the season to take charge of Papua New Guinea, has his side firing on all cylinders at the perfect time. After 40 years without a league title before last October's Grand Final triumph, the Robins are proving that success was no fluke.