Hull KR’s pre-season trip to Amsterdam next year is under review after securing a place on the Las Vegas billing in 2026. Rovers’ place in the Sin City spectacle was confirmed earlier this week, taking on Leeds Rhinos at the Allegiant Stadium next February.
However, their trip to Vegas, as well as other contributing factors, has now left the club considering whether another pre-season game on the road is viable next year.
Rovers made inroads in Amsterdam last year, engaging with numerous schools, many that had never heard of rugby league before, while community clubs also benefitted from times spent with the club’s foundation. But a change to the Super League schedule next year, coupled with their Vegas trip and annual pre-season training camp, leaves Rovers in a tricky position when trying to accommodate a return to the Netherlands.
“We’re very conscious that we want it to continue and it is definitely our first choice to do so,” CEO Paul Lakin said when discussing plans for Amsterdam. “What we have to consider is the extra tight calendar for next season because we understand that the season will start two weeks earlier due to the World Cup at the end of 2026 and our winter training camp is an essential element for us in the off season.
“Therefore, coming back and having only a couple of weekends where we need to have a first team friendly and then that leaves only one weekend where we could potentially go to Amsterdam. We could well do that but we’ve just got to think about our scheduling with Vegas being in February also. So it’s still up for consideration. We would like to do it. We’ve just got to consider the impact of such a busy schedule”
Another factor is the financial demands on supporters wanting to support the club’s ventures, with two overseas trips naturally coming at a cost to fans.
“We’ve got to take into account. January is generally a month where people are cash-strapped after Christmas so we’ve just got to factor in all of these things,” added Lakin. “We’re conscious that it was a big success last year, very conscious that our foundation spent weeks in the schools before the event and we don’t want to drop that. But we’ve got to balance that off with all the other things we’ve just discussed.”