Rovers’ coach says he doesn’t feel the need to freshen up his side
Hull KR coach Willie Peters.(Image: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)
Hull KR coach Willie Peters believes planning holds the key to ensuring there’s no derby hangover for his squad. Peters says the club’s schedule is the secret to keeping his players fresh after suggesting he may resist the option of freshening his side up for the Challenge Cup next week.
Rovers had to work hard for their 24-6 victory over rivals Hull FC on Good Friday, with the mental and physical assertions from a derby often catching up with teams the following week.
In an effort to avoid that, KR’s players and staff were given three days off following their seventh successive derby win, with Peters having put a schedule together for the season that has built in mini breaks at regular intervals for his players.
While that means the focus is more on rest and recovery than training next week ahead of Saturday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final clash with York Knights at Craven Park, the Rovers coach is confident the approach will mean he is not forced into resting players.
“At some stage players may need a rotation, but the way we have done our schedule means that after the derby game, the players have three days away,” explained Peters.
“After the Toulouse game (the following week) the players can get away for three days again. We’ve made sure throughout the season that with our schedule there is time for the players to take a breath.”
Taking a breath will allow Rovers to stay as fresh as possible with the coach hoping for no breaks throughout the entire campaign, which will mean Rovers reach the Challenge Cup final and Grand Final again.
To achieve that Peters will have to rely on his whole squad, though. To that end he may still change his side for the visit of the Knights, with Rhyse Martin currently winning his battle to be fit to return to action next week.
The 33-year-old has been absent since breaking his foot in the Challenge Cup victory over Huddersfield Giants and may now return a month later in the same competition. If not ready to face York, Martin is expected to be in contention to take on Toulouse in France on Friday April 17.