Hot on the heels of the Robins' win over Oldham he said: "We knew to beat us they'd have to try and out-muscle us - but they couldn't do that because our forwards were superb."

perhaps surprisingly in a game where Hull KR completed 15 of the first half's 16 sets, he went on: "It was a strange game - there wasn't a lot of continuity. But we did score some very good tries and I'm happy we're through to Rochdale next week."

He singled out star half back Paul Mansson as a key factor in Hull KR's success: "I thought that Paul Mansson was tremendous with the ball in his hands - he set-up three tries and scored one himself (a scooting run after just three minutes)."

He went on: " We've beaten Rochdale there this year in the Challenge Cup and we'll go there confident of winning again. I believe it and the players believe it."