Heartbreak to heroes - has cup joy tipped Hull KR closer to greatness?

Hull KR person not fared good successful their pursuit of silverware successful nan past mates of years, fto unsocial since 1980 erstwhile they astir precocious won nan Challenge Cup.

After losing to Leigh successful golden-point other clip successful nan 2023 Challenge Cup final, they were edged retired by Wigan, 1 of nan top sides nan modern crippled has ever seen, successful past season's Super League Grand Final.

But that near-half period drought ended connected Saturday, erstwhile Mikey Lewis sailed his footwear done nan posts to thief nan Robins separator past Warrington pinch precocious play astatine Wembley.

And what makes their caller occurrence moreover much singular is they dropped retired of Super League little than a decade ago.

BBC Sport takes a look astatine what nan triumph intends to a broadside that mightiness yet conscionable beryllium knocking connected nan doorway of greatness.

It is worthy giving immoderate position arsenic to Hull KR's position erstwhile Willie Peters was announced arsenic their caput coach successful early 2023.

The Australian arrived disconnected nan backmost of a run which had seen erstwhile leader Tony Smith time off midway done nan erstwhile play and Danny McGuire return nan helm connected a impermanent basis.

There was small to propose KR were connected nan precipice of Super League stardom.

Yet, successful his maiden season, he guided them to nan Challenge Cup final, albeit a losing one.

The Robins licked their wounds and stormed their measurement to past season's Super League Grand Final.

They moreover went toe-to-toe pinch Wigan for nan League Leaders' Shield successful nan lead up - thing that mightiness person seemed intolerable erstwhile KR mislaid their Super League position successful 2016.

Less than a decade later, they are Challenge Cup winners and now look successful rod position to tee up an awesome convention and cup double.

"It's a weird feeling. It's a crazy feeling, it's unbelievable," Peters told BBC Sport of his side's Challenge Cup triumph.

"They were awesome, Warrington, but I'm truthful proud of my players. They played remarkable, we didn't triumph beautiful but we recovered a way."

All awesome sides, nary matter nan sport, request a clutch player.

For Hull KR, half-back Lewis fits that mould.

The reigning Man of Steel dazzled successful 2024, roaring his broadside to triumph pinch immoderate stellar performances crossed nan season, starring to him winning nan apical individual award.

And nan 23-year-old has been done it each pinch his broadside complete nan past 2 years. And falling short proved to beryllium other motivation.

"The heartbreak 2 aliases 3 years ago, it really sums it up," Lewis told BBC Sport.

"These are finals I want to play for nan remainder of my profession astatine this club, I emotion it, and hopefully we tin spell again."

It speaks volumes that Lewis was capable to constitute himself for his cup-winning conversion.

With nan Ashes bid coming up astatine nan extremity of nan season, his expertise to enactment calm successful a big-game business will surely mean he will beryllium England leader Shaun Wane's starting half-back travel October.

"I thought I conscionable had to spell done my process and spot it and that's what I did," Lewis added.

"We're tough. It wasn't our champion capacity but that's what reliable teams do."

Whereas Hull KR person put successful immoderate stunning performances connected their measurement to triumph this season, it is adjacent to opportunity nan Challenge Cup last mightiness not person group nan world alight for nan neutral.

It was edgy and attritional for overmuch of nan 80 minutes pinch neither broadside wanting to springiness thing away.

Despite was nan value of nan game, skipper Elliot Minchella was conscionable happy for his broadside to get complete nan line.

"I'm mislaid for words. I thought we'd blown it, to beryllium honest," he told BBC Sport.

"That's what we pridefulness ourselves on, ne'er giving in. It was nan ugliest capacity each twelvemonth but it doesn't matter, does it?"

If Hull KR are to undo Wigan's home power it is apt to travel by grinding retired wins and putting nan activity successful again from early adjacent week arsenic nan play continues.

But for Peters, he sees nan bigger image and understands conscionable really seismic a triumph it was for much than conscionable his squad.

"I was a small much vocal than usual. When Mikey was going to footwear nan goal, players for illustration that, they travel up pinch typical plays. That was a infinitesimal for him, a infinitesimal he'll person forever. I felt calm then," he added.

"This is for truthful galore group who aren't present today. People who are not pinch us, group person worked difficult to get america to this.

"Hopefully, this gives them nan belief that they tin do it. We did it today. It wasn't our champion capacity but it was gritty."