Hull KR’s James Batchelor anticipates a determined Warrington Wolves side in their Challenge Cup semi-final clash. Warrington have lost the last two Cup finals. Batchelor expects Sam Burgess’s team to be eager to secure a win in 2026.
Hull KR’s Preparation and Mindset
Hull KR are heading into the Challenge Cup semi-final against Warrington Wolves on a strong run of form. They have secured six straight wins in all competitions. This success has propelled them up the Super League table. They are now just 80 minutes away from another Wembley Stadium appearance.
However, the season hasn’t been without its challenges for KR. They experienced a rocky start, losing three of their first four league games. Batchelor believes this period served as a reality check, ultimately benefiting the team.
According to Batchelor, the team had ‘tough conversations’ which were centred around improving week to week in games, day-to-day training and ‘chipping away at it’.
Batchelor said: ‘There was some stuff we could have probably dealt with mentally better, but at the same time, we weren’t playing up to our levels as individuals or as a group…That’s the long and short of it is we weren’t playing at our level and dialling in every day and pushing yourself day in day out to improve on those little things and change.’
Defensive Improvements Key to Hull KR’s Turnaround
A significant factor in KR’s resurgence has been their improved defence. Willie Peters’ side has returned to the defensive strengths that underpinned their previous success. They have only conceded 34 points in their last five games.
Batchelor said: ‘That’s something that we pride ourselves on and something that we drive…Ultimately at the start of the season, we just weren’t good enough at that and that showed in the results and the table.’
Batchelor added: ‘So once we’ve sorted that out, we’ve started finding a rhythm, started enjoying those tough moments, and when you’re on the back foot and coming through those, that’s back to being us.’
Warrington’s Motivation After Past Disappointments
The Super League has taken a backseat as Rovers prepare to face off against Warrington in what is a repeat of last year’s final.
Batchelor anticipates a highly motivated Warrington team. He believes they will be driven by the pain of losing the last two Cup finals. He said: ‘When we lost at Wembley [in 2023], I remember how that sort of drilled me and fuelled me in certain games and at certain times…So I know they have that feeling, from the past two years really they’ll be hurting and some of them will be real desperate to put that right because it’s not a nice feeling.’
The upcoming semi-final promises to be a fiercely contested match, with Warrington seeking to overcome their recent final defeats and Hull KR aiming to continue their winning streak.