IT turned out to be a hugely testing trip as North Wales Crusaders tackled Doncaster in the Championship.
There have been plenty of eye-catching encounters between the clubs over the years, but it was high-flying Doncaster who prevailed on this occasion by a thumping 120-0 margin.
It was always going to be a tough meeting for basement side Crusaders, with Doncaster sixth in the table. With games in hand on all of the sides above them, Doncaster will be looking to achieve a top-four finish heading into the end-of-season play-offs.
They did their lofty aims no harm at all by establishing a more than healthy advantage by the time the half-time whistle was sounded.
Harvey Horne’s fourth minute try opened the scoring. Connor Robinson converted, while he was also on the money with the extras when Gadwin Springer crossed the whitewash six minutes later.
Robinson, Mitieli Vulikijapani and Tom Whitehead added further tries before the 25-minute mark as Doncaster moved themselves into the clear.
Brad Knowles, Isaac Misky, Pauli Pauli and Whitehead also crossed the whitewash prior to the interval.
Robinson was 100 per cent with his nine conversion attempts as the hosts got to half-time 54-0 to the good.
There was to be no let-up from Doncaster when the second half got underway.
Just five minutes after the restart, Connor Jones came up with a try on the right and Robinson made it 10 out of 10 with his conversion attempts.
It was Jones at the double just six minutes later, before Robinson’s conversion took him to 2,000 career points.
Vulikijapani and Horne then went over for their second tries, both of which were converted.
Reece Lyne finished off a length of the field effort for the next score, prior to Horne and Jones completing their hat-tricks as the home side closed in on a century of points.
Doncaster crashed through the 100-point mark when Loui McConnell crossed the whitewash and Brad Hey came up with the home side’s next try four minutes from time.
In the last minute, Whitehead claimed his hat-trick try, with Robinson kicking his the conversion and he added the extras to Sam Smeaton’s score on the hooter.
The weekend Championship action opened with Swinton Lions just pipping hosts Salford 20-18.
League leaders London Broncos maintained their perfect record for the campaign courtesy of a 92-6 victory at home to Goole Vikings, while Midlands Hurricanes were 30-24 victors in their home clash against Workington Town.
Second-placed Newcastle Thunder pipped Batley Bulldogs 28-24 and things were even closer in Oldham’s 31-30 outcome versus Sheffield Eagles.
Other results: Halifax 20 Barrow 28; Hunslet 32 Keighley 18; Rochdale 22 Whitehaven 24.
Leeds underlined their Super League title credentials as Chris Hankinson’s converted try capped a thrilling comeback 24-22 win over Wakefield.
Former Leeds half-back Jack Sinfield, son of Rhinos great Kevin, was outstanding against the club that released him at the end of last year, providing the assist for two of Wakefield’s three tries in eight first-half minutes to put the hosts 16-0 ahead.
Sinfield then went over after half-time to put Wakefield 22-6 ahead and give Trinity hope of moving level on points with Leeds, but the league leaders impressively went up a gear in the final half hour.
Warrington scored seven tries to thrash Bradford 42-4 and stay in the race for a top-two finish while second-placed Wigan beat Toulouse 48-18.
Winger Harvey Barron scored a first senior hat-trick as Hull ended a seven-game losing run with a 32-18 comeback win at St Helens.
Other results: Castleford 0 Hull KR 44; Leigh 22 York 14; Huddersfield 42 Catalans Dragons 20.
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