York shock champions Hull KR to seal first Super League win on opening night
The most incredible result in Super League’s 30-year history? There are certainly plenty of contenders but as North Yorkshire erupted in joy on the night rugby league’s big show rolled into town for the first time, it was hard to think of anything that measured up to this.Super League’s decision to expand to 14 teams over the winter has drawn criticism, not least over concerns that the two extra sides may not have brought the sufficient quality to compete at the highest level.Yet York managed not only to get off the mark but to stun the defending, all-conquering treble winners of 2025.Hull KR lost only five games in all competitions last season.Here, they have fallen at the first hurdle, having asked Super League for a softer opening game in anticipation of next week’s World Club Challenge against NRL champions Brisbane Broncos.
To suggest it was ideal preparation would be quite the understatement.But for once, this night is not about the Robins.This is about York, Super League’s newest expansion project – and a night which shows there is a vibrant future in this part of the world for rugby league.Many of the full house of almost 9,000 were scarcely able to believe what they had seen.York, a part-time side as recently as four months ago, and not seen in the sport’s top flight since the 1980s, were not just underdogs here.
They were huge outsiders and it looked as though it would go according to script as the Robins battled into an 18-6 lead with 20 minutes left,But the contest swung on an extraordinary moment when Hull KR and England half-back Mikey Lewis tripped his opposite number, Liam Harris, for no reason,By the time he returned from the sin bin, York had scored through Sam Wood and shortly after, with the momentum behind them, they levelled courtesy of Scott Galeano’s try, with Harris – released by Hull KR as a teenager – converting both,The drama didn’t end there,With the crowd roaring them on and the atmosphere incredible, Harris supplied a pass for Ata Hingano, who kicked a drop goal to clinch victory and spark incredible scenes.
“I’d be lying if I said some of the lads hadn’t read it [Hull KR asking for an easier opener] and it’s not put a few backs up,” York’s victorious coach, Mark Applegarth, said.“But we’re focusing on us.I’m so proud of the lads first and foremost.“York is the right place for the game to expand into and this has shown it.”York more than played their part in a thrilling first half, with the two sides level at half-time.
Wood opened the scoring with a well-worked try before Rovers responded through Jai Whitbread’s first of the evening.Harris kicked a penalty to make it 6-6 at the break, but you always wondered if Rovers’ class would come through.That looked to be the case as the second half began.Two tries in eight minutes, one for Whitbread and another for Sauaso Sue, made it 18-6 and suddenly, it seemed as though York’s spirit had been broken.You could almost feel the atmosphere deflate inside the stadium.
It made Lewis’s moment of madness all the more critical.“He needs to learn from what he did and he needs to action it,” Hull KR’s coach, Willie Peters, said.“Whatever you call it, a brain explosion or what, he’s the only one that can tell you what happened at the time.We didn’t handle it well.”York could suddenly sense an opportunity.
Wood claimed his second before, with Rovers still adjusting after Lewis’s return, they worked left for Galeano to mark his Super League debut with a try.Harris’s two goals made it 18-18 but the Knights still had one more magical moment in them, with Hingano sending the home support wild.York had made no secret of the fact that they hoped this night, welcoming the reigning champions, would convince the North Yorkshire public there is a future for Super League in York.If they don’t come back in their huge numbers after this, they may never will.York Mata’afa; Jones-Bishop, Williams, Wood, Galeano; Hingano, Harris; Va’a, McShane, Vaughan, Field, Dee, Thompson.
Interchange Balmforth, Martin, Sangare, Griffin,Try Wood 2, Galeano Con Harris 2 Pen Harris DG HinganoHull KR Mourgue; Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess; Lewis, May; Brown, Litten, Sue, Martin, Batchelor, Minchella,Interchange Broadbent, Luckley, Whitbread, Lawton,Tries Whitbread 2, Sue Cons Martin 3 Sin bin LewisReferee L Rush,
Cocktails and crepes in bed? Ravinder Bhogal’s recipes for Valentine’s Day breakfast
Give me breakfast in bed over a bunch of limp supermarket roses any day. Nothing says “I love you” more genuinely than a decadent tray of delicious things to savour between the sheets. Because V-Day falls on a weekend this year, you can do better than just buttered toast and an unbidden cup of tea. Whether it’s sweet or savoury (or even a cheeky cocktail), I’ve got you!These French crepes are given the Midas touch with a pinch of saffron. Use your favourite fish – mackerel and salmon also work well here
‘Boy kibble’: why are young men turning to dog food for meal inspiration?
The dried food, traditionally for pets, has become an unlikely influence for meal preppers. Some commenters have even claimed the trend could be an antidote to toxic masculinity Name: Boy kibble.Age: It’s new.Appearance: Like a dog’s dinner.Isn’t that what kibble is? Traditionally, yes, kibble is dried food for pets in pellet form, made of grains, vegetables and meat
Frothing over: the coffee foams and ‘indulgent’ drinks keeping Australian cafes afloat
Cold brews and matcha lattes with airy, dessert-like layers are everywhere. What’s driving the trend for blockbuster toppings?Get our weekend culture and lifestyle emailCoffee brimming with lemon myrtle cream. Matcha banked with strawberry-lychee foam. Cold brew with choc-orange froth thick enough to stuff a pillow. Every caffeinated drink I’ve ordered in Sydney recently has the appearance of a generously frosted cake
What is fibremaxxing – and how much is too much? | Kitchen aide
Why is everyone talking about fibremaxxing?Chris, by emailTikTok-born trends rarely go hand in hand with sage health advice, but that’s not to say upping our fibre – an often-forgotten part of our diets – is a bad idea. “Fibre needed its moment, so this is a good thing,” says dietitian Priya Tew. The non-digestible carbohydrate has two main functions: “There’s insoluble fibre, which is found in things such as whole grains, brown rice or vegetable skins, and I think about it like a broom,” Tew says, “in that it brushes the system out.” Then there’s soluble fibre (oats, beans, lentils), which she likens to a sponge: “It turns into this gel in your gut, and aids digestion and keeps us regular.” But that’s only part of the story, because fibre can also help lower cholesterol and stabilise blood sugar
Moroccan lamb filo pie and rhubarb panna cotta: Thomasina Miers’ Sunday best recipes
There is little as pleasing to cook in the depths of the winter as a pot of enticingly fragrant, slow-braised meat. A shoulder of lamb is one of my favourite cuts; you, or a friendly butcher, will need to trim away its excess fat, a job that will reward you with an exquisite flavour that marries beautifully with bold spicing. Here, we travel to Morocco, with sweetly aromatic ginger, turmeric and cinnamon, and follow that with cardamom, cream and rhubarb for pudding. A sumptuous, colourful feast to stave off any February blues.Many elements of this dish, with its falling apart, richly seasoned lamb and carrots encased in crisp, golden pastry, can be made the day before
Georgina Hayden’s quick and easy recipe for creamy chicken and mustard fricassee | Quick and easy
This is a one-pan dinner at its finest: elegant and full of flavour, something that feels as if it has taken more effort and time than it actually has, and versatile in its finish – serve with creamy mash, fluffy rice, boiled potatoes; even hunks of fresh baguette would be wonderful for mopping up the creamy mustard sauce. I use whatever veg is in season: purple sprouting broccoli is at its best right now, but you could add stalks of rainbow chard, shredded cavolo nero, even halved baby carrots. Play around with whatever veg you have and love.If you can’t find mustard powder, feel free to use your mustard of choice – wholegrain would work well here.Prep 5 min Cook 30 min Serves 44 skin-on chicken breasts (about 160g each)Sea salt and black pepper 2 tsp English mustard powder 1 tbsp olive oil 200g purple sprouting broccoli 30g unsalted butter 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp aleppo pepper 2½ tbsp plain flour 125ml dry white wine 500ml chicken stock 200ml single creamPut the chicken breasts on a deep plate and season generously
Jim Ratcliffe apologises for ‘choice of language’ after saying immigrants ‘colonising’ UK
To revive manufacturing we must first change attitudes towards labour | Letter
Elon Musk posted about race almost every day in January
The big AI job swap: why white-collar workers are ditching their careers
Winter Olympics 2026: Ukrainian athlete kicked out over helmet tribute, Lollobrigida claims dramatic speed skating gold – as it happened
Scotland’s Finn Russell is not a player you can plan for, England’s Wigglesworth admits