‘You’ve got to lose one to win one’ – Hull KR on ‘upward trajectory’ as Ryan Hall discusses Wembley heartache

Hull KR winger Ryan Hall visibly, and understandably, downbeat after their Wembley heartache, saying Willie Peters’ side ‘didn’t leave anything’ on the field.

The Robins suffered an agonising 17-16 defeat to Leigh Leopards in golden point extra-time in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley on Saturday.

Hall, who has experienced the highs and lows of Wembley, was understandably disappointed with the final outcome but was proud that the side didn’t walk off the field with any regret after leaving everything they had on out there.

Speaking in the mixed zone after the game, Hall said: “It’s probably the worst place to lose because you’ve got to do the runners-up medals and watch the other team celebrate, they’re up there with elation and we’re not, we’re looking for a dark place to hide basically but you can’t, you’re on a big stage and have to do all the formalities so it is a very tough place to lose, in the manner as well.

“Before the game we talked about regret and disappointment and they’re different. Obviously we are massively disappointed but none of us came off that field with any regret because we didn’t leave anything out there.

“It probably wasn’t the most open, free flowing brand of rugby. You didn’t see many set shapes or that sort of stuff because it was mainly just in the arm wrestle, trying to win territory and the game.

“We were thinking you go through that process and then you get the opportunity to put on some shapes and they were thinking exactly the same thing.

“There weren’t many breaks in the game, I think the ball was in play for a long time and no team really yielded. There was an odd occasion when there was a knock on or something was forced and that’s when the other team where in a position to hit that drop goal in the end, but there wasn’t too many chances like that.

“That’s why we’ve left the field with not much regret because we stuck to our guns and, unfortunately, we came out on the losing side.

“He (Willie Peters) said you didn’t leave anything out there and nothing to regret, which in the grand scheme of things, is the better one. He said to feel the disappointment and we’ll cross the bridges that we need to cross when the time is right to do that.”

Hull KR on an ‘upward trajectory’ with Robins reaching the final at Wembley under Willie Peters

It might not have been the outcome the Robins were hoping for, with a loud and proud 20,000+ travelling contingent, but Hall tried to take the positives out of reaching the final, with the England international saying the club is heading in the right direction for sustained success.

“That’s encouraging,” Hall added. “Neil (Hudgell) the owner was in there (changing rooms) as well and said exactly the same thing.

“The club is actually on a good trajectory which is good to be a part of and his vision for it is on an upward trajectory.

“Yes, we missed out on the final here, but the old saying is ‘you’ve got to lose one to win one’, so we’ll take that one as that one, and then we’ll hopefully go on to win something.”

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