Hull KR vs York Knights Prediction: Litten to lead reigning champs to sizeable win

Betfred Challenge Cup holders Hull KR are huge favourites to reach another semi-final when they face the team who earned a shock win over them in the opening round of Super League, York Knights, at Craven Park on Saturday (13:30 BST, BBC Two).

The Robins come into the tie off the back of a derby win over Hull FC, and very few would bet against them reaching the last four once again. Here are my Hull KR vs York Knights predictions, the latest team news and Betfred's match odds for the quarter-final showdown.

Team News

Hull KR are without their captain this week, with Elliot Minchella set to miss the game with a hamstring issue. It is thought to be tightness rather than anything more serious, but this weekend comes too soon.

The return of goal-kicking back-row Rhyse Martin therefore is timely, with the former Leeds man back in the squad having been sidelined with a foot injury.

Also in an initial 21-man Robins squad are two men who starred in St Helens' epic derby win over Wigan last weekend. Two-try hero Bill Leyland and Jordan Dezaria made a huge impact in a one-week loan for Saints, and are straight back into the mix for Rovers this week.

So Martin comes in for Minchella and the other two changes to the squad see Leyland and Dezaria come in for Jack Charles and Harvey Horne. Other than Minchella's absence it is a strong home line-up.

The same cannot be said of York however, with the Knights beset by key injury problems. Veteran winger Ben Jones-Bishop has somehow been playing with a broken foot, so unsurprisingly makes way as one of four changes this week.

Will Dagger failed a Head Injury Assessment so is unavailable through concussion protocols, while both David Nofoaluma and Will Roberts are cup-tied.

The four to come in for Mark Applegarth's men are Sam Wood, Jack Smith and loanees Myles Harrison and Sam Cook. Who plays on the wing in the absence of Nofoaluma and Jones-Bishop is anyone's guess.

Hull KR vs York Knights Odds

Winning Margin 1-5: Hull KR by 26-30 @ 9/2

Betfred Challenge Cup ties at this stage of the competition are well worth talking up, with the carrot of Wembley so, so close. For teams like York that is not something that happens too often.

However, of the four ties taking place this weekend this is the only one where I just cannot see any hope for the underdog. Of course, we were making similar noises ahead of the opening round of Super League and York pulled off a real shock to beat an off-colour Robins in that one. But KR had both the World Club Challenge and the trip to Vegas looming on their horizon that day, and no such distractions will affect their performance this weekend.

That may sound disrespectful to York, who have looked a really well-drilled unit under Applegarth in their first-ever season at the top level. That is not the intention at all. But having started the season slowly, and with news of an out-going head coach to manage also, you just sense that all drifting Rovers eyes should now be back on the prize.

Add into the equation the Knights' injuries and I struggle to give the visitors hope of repeating their 19-18 win of a couple of months ago.

We backed against York on a 10-point handicap at struggling Huddersfield last week and were right to do so as the Giants romped home 34-14. York conceded six tries in that one and I fear they could concede more than that in Hull.

The handicap this week is 32, which is enormous for a Challenge Cup quarter-final, especially given that the only game between these sides this year was won by the underdog. But it is still tough to back the Knights with any degree of confidence.

Strange things can happen - as was proven in round one - and as such I intend to ignore the handicap this week and take a punt on the winning margin. I have the home side to win by several scores at around the handicap mark. KR by 26-30 points or KR by 21-25 points feels like a flip of a coin.

Jez Litten Anytime Tryscorer @ 6/4

There will be points in this game, more so for the home side, so the Anytime Tryscorer market is as good a place as any to look for value in a second selection.

Last week we were particularly unfortunate in the Hull derby, having gone for Lewis Martin to score against Rovers at 6/5. The Hull FC winger did score with a smart finish in the corner, only for it to be controversially ruled out by the video referee.

This week we will be looking at Rovers to score a fair few, and given Huddersfield ran in half-a-dozen tries last week we have a pretty decent chunk of the KR side to look at.

The most probable danger areas are, of course, the two flanks, where you will find Joe Burgess at just 1/3 to score at any time, and fellow winger Tom Davies 1/2.

Full-back Jack Broadbent is always a decent shout and did very well for us last season - the versatile back is 8/11 to cross.

For a bit more value, though, I'm looking at Jez Litten - a game-changer from dummy-half. The England man can have an impact on this tie and is an attractive 6/4 to score.