Rivals Weekend continues in the Super League XXIX season on Good Friday when two more huge matches get played out as traditional Easter derby fixtures take place across what should be a highly competitive afternoon of rugby.
We begin the day with the two sides of Hull battling it out for bragging rights before the last two champions of the Super League take centre stage in the second game of a tremendous looking Good Friday.
Hull KR vs Hull FC (12.30 – Sky Main Event & Sky Action)
The opening match of the afternoon is a repeat of the first game of the Super League XXIX season as Hull KR welcome Hull FC to Craven Park six weeks or so after the Robins went to the MKM Stadium and pulled off a convincing victory.
Hull KR won that season opener 22-0 and they are expected to be every bit as dominant here, if not even more so when you consider that they are clearly moving in the right direction whereas Hull FC look to be going backwards pretty fast. Hull FC have won just one match this season and even then they limped over the line against the London Broncos whereas Hull KR have three wins from their five matches and absolutely battered Salford in the Challenge Cup last week. While that was happening, Hull FC were coughing up 50 points to the Huddersfield Giants as the injuries to the Black and Whites are really beginning to bite. When you look through this Hull KR side from 1:13 there isn’t really a weakness in it and with the X-Factor of Mikey Lewis pulling the strings you can see why the Robins are 20 point favourites with the layers. I don’t like betting the big handicaps in derby matches because pride often brings out a performance but Hull FC had few answers when their squad was in a better place so I don’t really see how they contain this Hull KR side now. Hull KR have kept Hull FC to no points in two of the last three meetings and only four in the one before that. I think they have way too much for this Hull team.
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St Helens vs Wigan Warriors (15.00 – Sky Main Event & Sky Action)
The second part of the Good Friday double header sees the ultimate derby being played when the champions Wigan Warriors head to the home of their bitter rivals St Helens, the team who they took the Super League crown from last season.
These two are no fans of each other and when they meet we are always treated to a fiercely competitive battle and an intensity which rarely gets matched throughout the season. There is nothing to believe things will be any different here. These two teams both have four wins to their name this season. St Helens do have a loss to Salford on their record whereas Wigan have played a match fewer because of the World Club Challenge so they are perfect for their title defence to date, and have come out of the blocks in fine form, winning their four matches averaging 36 points for and only 13.5 against. They haven’t yet played a team in the top six this term though so it will be interesting to see what they have when the challenge goes up a notch. Saints come into this match off the back of successive wins over the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League and then the Challenge Cup. They weren’t overly convincing in the league game but were much more dominant in the cup one which bodes well for them. Saints have some players back for this one but James Bell feels like a big absentee. Jai Field returns to an otherwise unchanged Wigan squad and that makes me think that they are going to be touch to beat here. The supposed best side in the world couldn’t beat them a few weeks ago and a St Helens for whom three players are coming back from time out and might need a hit out to be at their best might struggle to do it too. I wouldn’t have backed Wigan as favourites here but there is enough value in them as underdogs to get on board the Warriors here.
Tips
Back Hull KR (-20) to beat Hull FC for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with Coral
Back Wigan Warriors to beat St Helens for a 3/10 stake at 2.10 with William Hill
Back them here:
