Hull FC advanced into the Quarter-Final of the Betfred Challenge Cup for the eighth year in a row with a comfortable victory over Sheffield Eagles at the Millennium Stadium.
A hattrick from Campbell Engineering Man of the Match Connor Wynne, and tries from Jake Connor (2), Adam Swift, Josh Griffin, Carlos Tuimavave, Andre Savelio, Mitieli Vulikijapani and Jordan Lane were more than enough for Brett Hodgson’s men to progress through their first knockout encounter of 2022.
Team News
Brett Hodgson made just one change to his matchday 17 from last week’s victory over Huddersfield Giants, with Carlos Tuimavave starting his first game of 2022, replacing Brad Fash who was rested for the trip to West Yorkshire, missing his first game since Round 1 of 2021.
Hodgson shuffled his pack for the clash with Sheffield, with Mitieli Vulikijapani and Jack Brown moving to the bench, with Jordan Lane moving back into the starting 13 for the first time since picking up a back injury at Castleford earlier in the month.
For followers of Hull FC’s junior sides there were a number of familiar faces, with four ex Hull FC men in Mark Aston’s side. Will Wallis made his first professional appearance, joining fellow Academy graduates Anthony Thackeray, Ryan Johnson and Connor Bower in the Eagles side.
The Match
Hull couldn’t have dreamed of a better start, as Jake Connor opened the scoring in the first set of the game. The Black & Whites marched downfield with Ben McNamara going close on play 5 before Jake Connor dummied a kick and strolled over from dummy half.
Sheffield threatened in the following exchanges, putting plenty of air on the ball, but that was to be to their detriment, pushing one pass too many and coughing up possession. From the scrum Josh Griffin gave Adam Swift the ball in space and he raced 90 meters to score under the posts.
Both sides went close, Sheffield first through Matty Chrimes but Connor Wynne managed to scramble across and knock the England Universities international into touch, before it was Hull’s turn to be denied as Jake Connor weaved his way through the middle but his pass to Danny Houghton was too high for the former Man of Steel who couldn’t take it in.
Hull then asserted their dominance on the clash, with three tries in the final 12 minutes of the first half, including a brace for Connor Wynne.
The first of the pair came after Hull forced a repeat set. Ben McNamara was stopped just short of the line, but on the next tackle the ball moved wide to Carlos Tuimavave in space, and he gave the ball to Wynne who had plenty of work to do close to the line, but his footwork created the space to dive over and score.
Andre Savelio continued the scoring for Hull with the next, powering over from close range after Jake Connor’s 40/20. Connor Wynne rounded off the half with his second of the game after more good work from Andre Savelio gave him the ball back on the inside to score under the posts.
Half Time: Sheffield Eagles 0 – 28 Hull FC
Hull started the second half as they ended the first, with three tries in the opening fifteen minutes.
First, Josh Griffin extended the Black & Whites lead with a customary powerful line close to the opponents line, coming back on the inside to collect Jake Connor’s pass and had the strength to score.
His centre partner Carlos Tuimavave was next to cross for the Airlie Birds, with perhaps the easiest score of his career on return from injury. Joe Lovodua climbed highest to Jake Connor’s kick, batting the ball back to Andre Savelio who gave Tuimavave a walk in.
The third of the early second half scores was arguably Hull’s best of the afternoon, Jordan Johnstone making a neat break out of dummy half and with support both sides giving the ball to Jake Connor to race away under the posts.
Sheffield grew into the clash, scoring the next two tries of the second half. Veteran centre Kris Welham got the Eagles on the board with the Eagles in good attacking position, before a long break from Matty Chrimes was finished by Tom Holmes, fresh from his move from Featherstone Rovers.
The match ended on a sour note as Evan Douglas was stretchered from the field in a nasty looking collision with Chris Satae with eight minutes left on the clock.
The pick of the afternoon, and a sure contender for SS Testing Try of the Season added to the scoring for Hull – Connor Wynne with great work out of backfield bouncing out of several tackles before finding an offload to Adam Swift. Swift gave the ball to Jake Connor who marched another 20 meters before handing the ball back to Swift who couldn’t quite score himself but offloaded to Mitieli Vulikijapani who reached out to score.
Hull added another two tries in the final minute, first Connor Wynne completing his hattrick with a neat try in the corner before another contender for SS Testing Try of the Season as the hooter was about to blow, moving through at least seven pairs of hands before Jordan Lane got the ball in space, threw a dummy and raced away to score under the posts.
Full Time: Sheffield Eagles 12 – 58 Hull FC
The Line Ups
Sheffield Eagles: Quentin Laulu-Tongagea’e, Ryan Johnson, Kris Welham, Ross Oakes, Matty Chrimes, Tom Holmes, Anthony Thackeray, Brandon Douglas, Vila Halafihi, Tyler Dickinson, Liam Johnson, Connor Bower, Evan Hodgson,
Interchange: Blake Broadbent, Martyn Reilly, Mikey Wood, Will Wallis
Hull FC: Jake Connor, Connor Wynne, Carlos Tuimavave, Josh Griffin, Adam Swift, Joe Lovodua, Ben McNamara, Ligi Sao, Danny Houghton, Chris Satae, Andre Savelio, Manu Ma’u, Jordan Lane.
Interchange: Jack Brown, Jordan Johnstone, Josh Bowden, Mitieli Vulikijapani
Scorers
Sheffield Tries: Welham, Holmes.
Sheffield Goals: Holmes 2/2
Hull FC Tries: Connor (2), Swift, Savelio, Wynne (3), Griffin, Tuimavave, Vulikijapani, Lane.
Hull FC Goals: McNamara 7/11
Attendance 1039
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