Victorious Hull KR coach Willie Peters is confident his players will raise their game next week for a crucial knockout cup semi-final and admits selecting his side for the match will in itself be a challenge.
Rovers reaffirmed their position at the summit of Super League with a 54-0 victory over troubled club Salford Red Devils at St James’ Park, hardly needing to get out of second gear on their way to a convincing victory.
The straight forward early evening’s work will have been welcomed with an impending Challenge Cup semi-final on the horizon. Rovers head into that game against Catalans Dragons with their winning run in tact and with some selection decisions to make after some players got a chance to showcase their wares at Magic Weekend.
While Noah Booth was a standout in a game that also saw Eribe Doro make his first start for the Robins, the display was at times patchy and riddled with too many errors. It’s a fact Peters concedes, but as they returned home with two more competition points he wasn’t too worried.
“We had a chat after with the players and all agreed it was a little bit scrappy,” explained Peters. “The positive is we came here to get the two points and to keep a team to zero is always something where you have to work hard for each to do that.
“I have to credit Salford for what they are going through because they never let off and they are doing it tough. We know that is not going to cut it next week, but we are confident we’ll be ready.”
With Jared Waerea-Hargreaves rested and Kelepi Tanginoa unavailable after a head injury last week, Rovers will have fresh options that also include Joe Burgess and Tom Davies returning. However, they must also hope Oliver Gildart comes through after leaving the game early with a knee injury.
“The squad that we’ve got, it doesn’t matter who is in that 17 with the players we have,” added Peters. “The reason I am confident is I see them do it at training.”