Hull Kr on top of the world after World Club Challenge win over Brisbane
hull kr beat the Brisbane Broncos 30-24 to win the World Club Challenge, taking a commanding lead of 30-4 before withstanding a late surge that nearly changed the result. The victory completes a run of trophies for the club and sets up a trip to Las Vegas later in the week.
Hull Kr's decisive first hour
The match was largely decided in the opening 60 minutes as the Super League champions delivered a near-flawless period of play. Early kicking from Mikey Lewis created scoring opportunities that led to tries for Tom Amone and Elliot Minchella, and an error by Brisbane allowed Joe Burgess to extend the lead rapidly. By the break and into the second period, further scores — including finishes from Oliver Gildart and Peta Hiku following a clever kick from Tyrone May — left the visitors comfortably ahead and converted five tries had extended the advantage to 30-6 at one stage.
Brisbane's late fightback
The Broncos staged a remarkable revival in the final quarter. A series of quick scores — three tries in five minutes — reduced the margin dramatically to 30-20, and a late score by Kotoni Staggs with only minutes remaining pushed the contest to a nervy finish for the sell-out crowd. Earlier in the comeback, long-range work finished by Patrick Carrigan, a break from Deinē Mariner after the kick-off, and a second try for Gehamat Shibasaki assisted by Reece Walsh's pass tightened the scoreline, but the early cushion proved enough and the match ended 30-24.
What this means for Super League
The win adds the World Club Challenge to Hull KR's recent string of trophies, a sequence described as a historic quadruple for the club. It also continued a recent pattern of Super League sides prevailing in this fixture, reinforcing the league's competitive credentials on the global stage. The club's head coach praised the squad's resilience, noting moments when the team had to defend and then find grit to close out the victory. A forward look centers on a scheduled trip to Las Vegas: the team will face Leeds Rhinos at 11: 30pm ET on Saturday, February 28, offering a quick turnaround and a chance to extend the winning momentum.
- Final score: 30-24 to Hull KR.
- Key sequence: led 30-4 before a late Brisbane comeback tightened the match.
- Next fixture: trip to Las Vegas to play Leeds Rhinos at 11: 30pm ET on Feb. 28.
Players reflected contrasting emotions after the game. One Hull KR forward called the evening "pretty crazy" and said he had come to win more trophies, while the coach highlighted responsibility to their local community and the wider league. For Brisbane, the late rally underlined the quality within the squad even as they fell short on the night.
