Hull earned a bonus point from a game where their deserved halftime lead was overhauled as Rotherham’s powerful pack turned the tide to see the promotion aspirants record a 47-29 victory and keep them close to league leaders Leeds.
Rotherham were first to score when their scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier burrowed his way over near the posts with Will Milner adding the goal after 15 minutes.
Hull responded almost immediately when Duell Trueman’s break allowed Ali Heard to hand the ball out of the tackle to Jamie Shaul to race over near the left hand corner with Reece Dean converting well after 24 minutes. A Dean penalty shortly afterwards gave Hull a 10-7 lead, but Rotherham scored a good try in the right hand corner through winger Jack Taylor with Milner adding the conversion after 29 minutes.
Hull concluded the first half with a tremendous try after number eight Paulos Latu charged through the Rotherham defence before passing to prop Tom Bairstow who touched down near the posts with Dean converting to see Hull leading 17-14 at the break.
The second period saw Rotherham change their tactics and their powerful pack laid the foundations for the victory. After just 42 minutes, Hull failed to gather a chip ahead at the start of the half and strong running by Rotherham ended in a try for Milner who converted his own try.
Rotherham’s pack then took control and a burst of three tries in under 15 minutes saw the game drift away from Hull. Centre Harry Dunne, substitute prop Loma Tiploma and winger Taylor all round off great driving by their forwards for tries in the 51st, 56th and 60th minutes with Milner converting two of the tries.
When Hull were robbed of the ball in their own half after 75 minutes it resulted in a try by substitute Marcus Payne and converted by Milner to see his side 47-17 ahead with less than 10 minutes left on the clock.
Hull then raised their game when off-half Harrison Astley broke from his own half wrongfooting the Rotherham defence to put substitute scrum-half James Naylor in for an unconverted try after 74 minutes.
Hull secured a bonus point when they drove Rotherham’s pack back to their own line with substitute forward Josh Papa touching down for Hull with Dean converting with the last action of the game to see Hull secure the bonus point but lose by 47-29.
Photo by Dave Winn
HULL RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 