Ruben Selles has been sacked by Hull City less than two weeks after guiding the Tigers to safety on the final day of the Championship season.

Meetings have been taking place this week, chaired by owner Acun Ilicali at his Istanbul-based office, with sporting director Jared Dublin, board member Mustapha Yokes and head of recruitment Martin Hodge all jetting out to Turkey to thrash out Selles’ future.

Those meetings took place from Tuesday onwards, and the eventual outcome came as little surprise given the direction things have taken since the regular EFL campaign ended. Dublin is understood to have met with Selles on Thursday to inform him of the decision, and he departs with assistant boss James Oliver-Pearce and first team coach Toby Loveland.

City’s 1-1 draw at Portsmouth on the opening Saturday in May, coupled with Luton Town’s 5-3 defeat at West Brom, saw the Tigers survive on goal difference after what was a dismal campaign that started with Tim Walter in charge.

The Tigers began the final day inside the bottom three but knew victory would assure them of survival, whilst knowing a point would also be enough if either the Hatters or Preston North End lost.

North End drew 2-2 at Bristol City, having been two up, but Luton were thrashed at The Hawthorns, finding themselves 5-1 down at one stage, and the Tigers survived by the skin of their teeth. That result proved to be the City manager’s 26th and final league game in charge.

Selles was brought in by owner Acun Ilicali in December after bringing an end to Walter’s tumultuous, short-lived tenure. He took charge of 26 Championship games and an FA Cup third-round loss on penalties to Doncaster Rovers. The Spaniard, who left Reading to join the Tigers, won nine of those 26 games, drawing seven and losing 11. In those 26 games, Selles registered 33 points at a rate of 1.27 per game.

Based on Selles’ record, if averaged out over a 46-game season, City would have ended the campaign around 58 points which would have seen them finish in and around 15th, and avoid the scrap they were in when he arrived.

Since he took charge ahead of the draw with Watford on December 11, City sat 12th in the Championship form table above the likes of Middlesbrough, West Brom and Blackburn, all of whom had flirtations with the play-offs. Only Leeds United, Burnley and Sheffield United conceded fewer than the 26 his side did during that period. Scoring goals were the major problem with just 44 registered in 46 games, the lowest in the league.

Ilicali is now searching for his fifth permanent manager since his takeover in January 2022. The Turkish owner will aim to make a swift appointment to ensure plans are well in place for the players’ return to pre-season training at the beginning of July and ahead of the club’s annual training camp in Turkey later that month.

“Hull City can confirm we have parted company with head coach Rubén Sellés with immediate effect,” the club said in a statement provided to Hull Live on Thursday evening.

“The 41-year-old was appointed in December and guided the Tigers to Sky Bet Championship survival on goal difference on the final day of the 2024/25 season.

“Assistant head coach James Oliver-Pearce and first-team coach Tobias Loveland have also left the club. Following a thorough review of football operations after a challenging campaign, the club feels a change in leadership is necessary to move the team forward in line with our ambitions.

“We would like to thank Rubén, James and Tobias for their hard work and dedication during their time at the MKM Stadium and wish them well for their future careers.”

Don’t miss a 1904 Club special reflecting on the decision to part ways with Selles which you can listen to here

The post Hull City sack head coach Ruben Selles as Acun Ilicali begins hunt for fifth manager appeared first on Where In Hull.

Brad Arthur has given a big hint on his Leeds Rhinos half-back combination for Friday’s game against Hull FC.

The Rhinos head coach will welcome back three players to his side: Cam Smith, Brodie Croft, and Ryan Hall – with Croft set to partner Jake Connor in the halves. That will see Lachie Miller stay at full-back, with Smith to play his part from the bench.

Welcoming the competition on his side, Arthur is gearing up towards the Headingley fixture, with his Leeds side well poised in fourth spot in the Super League table after ten rounds.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arthur said: “They’ll play. They (Croft and Connor) haven’t had much time together, so we need to give them a bit of time, but I’d like to think that should be our best combination.

“In saying that, young Jack Sinfield did a real good job for us last week. But he understands where he sits, and he’s eager to learn, but those two guys, with a bit more game time and training time and with Lachie Miller there, we haven’t had those guys on the field for too long, and I don’t want them to overplay or try too hard.

“They just need to keep doing what they’ve been doing and slowly get those combinations stronger by having a level of detail and connection that they know each other’s game inside out. It’s just going to take a bit of time.”

As for Smith, Arthur continued: “Cam has been out for a long time, so our expectations of him this week aren’t too high in terms of game time and minutes. He will come off the bench.”

Taking his side for an overnight stay in the Lake District last week, Leeds – using the time to build their connection as a group – are well prepared for the challenge Hull will bring. The Black and Whites are looking to end a run of three defeats and are still hurting from an ill-disciplined account at the Magic Weekend.

“They’re fighting hard – they’re in every game, and they make it a real contest,” Arthur explained. “I know they’ll be disappointed with their Magic game, and John (Cartwright) has already come out and said it about their discipline in that game.

“We’re preparing for the best version of them. They will be strong, and they’ll come after the opposition. They’ve got guys playing good football, and they really challenge your line.

“We know we’re in for a contest, and we know about them, but it’s more about us – we’re starting to establish the energy we want in our team, and it’s becoming more recognisable. We need to continue to go down that path.”

The post Brad Arthur hints at Leeds Rhinos team selection and makes Hull FC verdict appeared first on Where In Hull.

Willie Peters has made two changes to the Hull KR 21-man squad ahead of their clash with Huddersfield Giants. Oliver Gildart and Lee Kershaw are the two players to drop out, with the pair replaced by Arthur Mourgue and Noah Booth.

Mourgue and Booth return after being unavailable for last week’s semi-final victory over Catalans Dragons, with both cup-tied after involvement for other teams earlier in the competition.

Gildart isn’t available for selection, with knee surgery set to see him out of action for around four months. Meanwhile, Lee Kershaw loses his spot after not being named in the matchday squad last time out. He still hasn’t made a Super League appearance for the club since his arrival in the off-season from London Broncos.

The big question is who plays at left centre. With Booth unavailable in the Challenge Cup, James Batchelor took the role which saw Jai Whitbread moved to back-row. Willie Peters could stick with that or run with Booth or Jack Broadbent at centre, with Arthur Mourgue likely to be moved to fullback, which frees up Broadbent.

As for Huddersfield, former Robin George King could make his debut for the Giants after being named in the squad, after missing the start of the season with an injury. Harry Rushton is also named, but Tom Burgess is unavailable.

Hull KR 21-man squad : Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, Joe Burgess, Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Sauaso Sue, Jez Litten, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Dean Hadley, James Batchelor, Elliot Minchella, Sam Luckley, Jai Whitbread, Jack Broadbent, Danny Richardson, Kelepi Tanginoa, Danny Richardson, Kelepi Tanginoa, Jack Brown, Eribe Doro, Bill Leyland, Arthur Mourgue, Noah Booth.

The post Two Hull KR changes as Huddersfield Giants name former Robin after injury appeared first on Where In Hull.

Trials aimed at reducing the time it takes for video referee decisions to be made will be run during the upcoming round of Super League games.

Head of match officials Phil Bentham has confirmed that a new system will be used to try and speed up the decision making process, which has earned wide criticism throughout the season with some decisions taking a number of minutes before a verdict is reached.

On Saturday, there were 15 minutes of stoppages in the first half of Hull KR’s Challenge Cup clash with Catalans Dragons, and fans have supported booing during prolonged delays.

Bentham admitted that he was aware of the issue and plans are being put in place to speed up the process by returning to an old system, which was also used at Magic Weekend.

“We’re looking at improvements in the way we get replays from Sky, we work from Wilmslow and use a ref box with the referee choosing and selecting their own replays. We feel we were quicker under the system I used when I was a video referee, whereby the director is clued up on which could be the best angle.

“We did that at Magic and I felt it was quicker and more robust. We’ll trial that this weekend. The video ref will be going through the director rather than controlling their own replays on the ref box.

“We have a couple of other ideas in terms of the length of the game. I think the first half in the semi final was 55 minutes and that can take interest away.”

Betham added: “I think just to defend Ben Thaler who was the video referee for the game ( Hull KR v Catalans), the first incident he had three separate incidents to check and to have a stop clock on him is probably a little bit unfair. That doesn’t take any from the fact we’re taking too long and looking at the same angle too many times.”

Another solution is to put a shot clock on goal kicks, an issue Bentham believes can help a wider issue. Currently, the clock is stopped after 80 seconds but conversions are taking an average of two minutes to be taken after a try is scored.

The post Video referee changes trialled to eradicate rugby league supporters’ pet peeve appeared first on Where In Hull.

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan admits he’s surprised to see Ruben Selles leave his job as head coach at Championship club Hull City, but says the club had to do something after narrowly escaping relegation to League One.

Selles was brought in by owner Acun Ilicali in December in a bid to keep City in the league having inherited a side that were bottom of the Championship after losing six games on the spin.

After claiming a point on the final day of the season, coupled with Luton Town’s thumping at West Brom, the Tigers stayed up on goal difference, but Ilicali has decided Selles should leave, having deemed that not good enough.

Jordan, speaking on his radio show with Jim White, believes the Turkish businessman had made mistakes in the past year in sacking Liam Rosenior and appointing Tim Walter, but suggested surviving on goal difference was not what the owner had in mind and that forced his hand in making a change.

“I thought Liam Rosenior is a bright young thing and a very capable operator,” Jordan said on talkSPORT. “Once upon a time, there was a lot of noise about Liam (Rosenior) in the media, and he did a lot of observations, a lot of punditry, and I think a lot of people were going, ‘yeah, yeah, it’s very easy in theory, much more difficult in practice’.

“I think he was the glue that held Derby together when (Wayne) Rooney was there. I think he did well for Derby when they got relegated, and he was unfortunate that he lost his opportunity there.

“He went to Hull, did a decent job. There was a style of play issue, and that’s always one of those things that I’m not sure owners should be too near. Winning football matches is what you want, and then building better sides that can play better football, and I thought it was a mistake (sacking Rosenior).

“I think it was categorically a mistake to have brought in the person (Tim Walter) that they did. I’m surprised that Ruben Selles has fallen foul of it. He was a little bit all theory when he was the Southampton manager, but I think he did a decent job at Reading.

“They (City) needed to do something because they only stayed up on the last day of the season. That’s not the blueprint I should imagine that Acun wants for the club.”

How do you feel about City’s decision to sack Selles? Have your say in the comments below…

The post Simon Jordan delivers Ruben Selles sacking verdict as Hull City boss set for axe appeared first on Where In Hull.

Hull City head coach Ruben Selles is expected to be relieved of his duties less than two weeks after the Championship season came to an end.

Dublin, along with Mustapha Yokes and new head of recruitment Martin Hodge, met with owner Acun Ilicali in Istanbul on Tuesday to thrash out a host of issues after a dismal season which saw the Tigers survive on goal difference.

While recruitment plans and budgets formed a key part of those discussions, it was the managerial situation which took centre stage, with talks seemingly arriving at an outcome which sees another change in manager.

The Spaniard, who arrived at City in mid-December with the Tigers bottom of the league, won nine of his 26 league games in charge and claimed the point required to survive, drawing 1-1 at Portsmouth on the final day of the season to finish 21st.

First team coach Tobias Loveland and joint-assistant boss James Oliver-Pearce are also expected to leave the MKM Stadium, having been brought in by Selles when he left Reading with Andy Dawson and goalkeeping coach Erbil Bozkurt remaining on the staff.

Since the campaign ended, Ilicali has been reflecting on what was a frustrating campaign after last season’s near-miss with the Championship play-offs.

Since the full-time whistle blew at Home Park 12 months ago, City have sacked Liam Rosenior, appointed and sacked Tim Walter and now done the same with Selles.

Attention for City will now turn to who replaces Selles in the MKM Stadium hotseat, with Ilicali keen to make a swift appointment, though that’s unlikely to happen in the immediate aftermath of his exit.

The Tigers’ owner will work through their shortlist of candidates in search of his fifth permanent manager, some of whom were likely on the list to replace Walter before Christmas.

The post Hull City set to confirm Ruben Selles exit as more change on the way appeared first on Where In Hull.

A few eyebrows were raised when Hull FC confirmed the signing of Aidan Sezer for 2025, but the half-back has been turning heads ever since.

In his element, the veteran Australian has returned to Super League with a bang. Leading a resurgent Hull outfit, Sezer has both trust and freedom on his side – and that allows him to play his best rugby league.

Not pigeonholed to playing on just the one edge, Sezer, who turns 34 next month, is instead roaming around the field, akin to an old-school number seven, with head coach John Cartwright allowing his playmaker to pop up where the opportunity arises and lead the side.

It’s a dynamic working well, and it’s spearheaded by perhaps Hull’s biggest component: John Asiata. The loose-forward was the first big piece of Richie Myler’s recruitment drive, with everything, as expected, centred off his play.

Taking the first receiver role, Asiata lets both Sezer and half partner Cade Cust play wider and on either edge, and it’s having the desired effect, with plenty of Hull’s tries this year featuring that growing link.

But for Sezer, humbler than most, it’s a combination still in its infancy and one, with Amir Bourouh and Will Pryce completing a new-look spine, that has yet to hit its highest gear.

Speaking to Hull Live, Sezer said: “Hopefully, there’s a lot more to come. Johnny is a smart player. He gets us around the field, and he’s one of our leaders, so the more times he has his hands on the ball, the more effective we’re going to be as a team.

“For me, it’s always about what’s best for the team. Hopefully we can keep improving on what we’ve done so far, and I’m sure we will.

“He just adds composure to us, Johnny – he’s an experienced player. He’s won trophies before, and you trust players like that around you. He’s our vice captain, and he’s someone we lean on in those big moments.

“We always have chats as a spine – Custy, Amir, and now Prycey coming in. We bounce ideas off each other. Obviously we need to understand what works best for each other and then try to implement that into our team, but it’s never about individuals – it’s about what’s best for the team, and that’s the mentality we need across the club.

“It’s not about me; it’s about the team and bringing my best assets to the team. I believe if we all do that as a collective, then we can win footy games.”

Sezer continued: “I feel like I have performed well in some areas, but I’ve let myself down in other areas. But I’ve loved my time here ever since I walked through the doors. I feel a real connection with this club. It’s a club with great people and great fans. It’s still early in the piece, but I’m really enjoying it.

“You can never be happy in this game, though – you’ll be humbled week in, week out otherwise. We saw that at Magic – you can’t get too far ahead of yourself. Things are never as good as what you think, and things are never as bad as they seem. It’s about week to week and getting back to basics, prepping well and training well, and hopefully that will lead to good performances.”

That same calmness is instilled by head coach John Cartwright, who Sezer goes way back with. First working together on the Gold Coast back in 2011, the duo know each other inside out.

And with the trust placed in him, Sezer, who is given confidence from Hull’s boss to play the style that brings the best out of him, is able to thrive.

“With Carty, I feel like he believes in me,” Sezer said. “He helps me so much. Whatever I want to do on the field, he backs me, and that’s a big thing for me. He’s known me since I was a young kid, and 14 years later, we’re back together now, but yeah, I just feel like he believes in me, and that gives me a load of confidence.

“The thing with Carty – and a lot of the boys in the squad will say the same thing – is that he’s a loyal guy, and he believes in his players. He’s a coach that you want to play for and not let down. When you let him down, you don’t get in his way. I enjoy playing under him. He’s a great guy and a great coach as well.

“He’s just got that aura about him. He’s achieved a lot in the game as a player and as a coach. He speaks with substance, and you take it in. He’s got that scary side about him which all the boys respect as well.”

That scarier side has come to the fore in recent weeks – with Hull, who have lost their last three games, now highlighting a crucial discipline fix-up, one they must get to grips with at Headingley against Leeds Rhinos on Friday night.

“What stands out is our discipline – that’s what we need to work on,” Sezer stated. “In most games we’re on the wrong end of the penalty count, or we’re just letting ourselves down with yellow cards and red cards.

“You can’t win games and be a consistent footy team when you’re letting yourself down in that regard. There’s a lot of improvement in terms of our play, but being disciplined and giving ourselves the best chance to win footy games is the most important thing.

“It’s been super frustrating (in recent weeks) – and the older boys in the team, especially me, need to take some accountability there. That’s one of the massive points for us – going down to 12 men or 11 men, it’s too hard in this competition to get results. We need to improve in that area, and hopefully we can do that from here on in.”

And if Hull achieve their discipline desires, the confidence and belief are there to achieve a top six finish – an outcome that is in their own destiny after a positive start to the year that saw them avoid defeat in eight of their opening ten games.

“That’s always the goal (to make the top six),” Sezer reaffirmed. “We’re not here to make up the numbers or just take part – we’re here to win games and get the club up the ladder and play finals footy.

“I spoke about it at the start of the year; we’ve got a lot of older heads here; we’re knocking on now, and we want to be as successful as we can be. We want to get this club back up where it belongs, and that’s challenging for silverware.”

He added: “We need to control what we can control now, prepare well, and build good standards in and around the club, but from my perspective, we’re only scratching the surface of how good we can be as a team.

“We haven’t performed for eighty minutes, I don’t think, for most of the year, and we’re still working towards that – we’ve got a young team and a team still in its infancy, not in terms of age, but how long we’ve been together and understanding each other’s games.

“It’s about us getting that right in this middle block of the year leading into the back end of the year. Hopefully, we can get a few more bodies back, get our discipline right, and give ourselves a chance to win some footy games.”

The post How Hull FC are getting the best out of Aidan Sezer as modest captain highlights major focus appeared first on Where In Hull.

Hull City are expected to outline their plans for the summer today after a season which saw the Tigers survive by the skin of their teeth on goal difference.

Ruben Selles guided the Tigers to safety on the final day of the season with a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth, coupled with West Brom’s 5-3 win over Luton Town, which relegated the Hatters.

In the days since that great escape on the South Coast, the future of Selles has been the topic of much conversation, with City owner Acun Ilicali reflecting on what was a challenging campaign.

Earlier this week, sporting director Jared Dublin, board member Mustapha Yokes and newly-appointed head of recruitment Martin Hodge flew out to meet Ilicali at his Istanbul-based offices to thrash out what they want to happen in the coming weeks and months.

High on the agenda was the future of Selles, who claimed 33 points from his 26 games in charge to see City survive on goal difference. Despite survival, Hull Live understands the Spaniard’s position has remained precarious in recent days and news of some sort of announcement by the club will only increase the expectation the manager will be departing, with rarely announcements made to say the manager is staying.

Another key topic of discussion was the club’s recruitment plans. Having found themselves playing catch-up last summer and making the bulk of their signings after the final pre-season friendly against Selles’ Reading side, City are keen to avoid a repeat.

Signing two forwards are paramount, especially with Joao Pedro set to leave the club when his one-year deal expires in the next few weeks. The club are also discussing any potential permanent move for Oscar Zambrano with the Ecuadorian midfielder set to return to action in early November after having his doping ban reduced.

Selles had held lengthy discussions in recent weeks with Dublin over his summer wishlist, but it’s likely there will be a sale or two to help free up funds. Steven Alzate and Gustavo Puerta could be on their way with firm interest in the Colombian pair. The City owner is also expected to announce another fan Q&A, which will be held later this summer.

The post Hull City set to make key announcement as summer transfer plans take shape appeared first on Where In Hull.

Willie Peters has welcomed the responsibility of representing Super League in Las Vegas next year, following the confirmation of Hull KR ’s participation in the NRL’s blockbuster showcase. Rovers will take on Leeds Rhinos at the Allegiant Stadium on February 28, 2026, as part of a Sin City’s triple-header.

The two English clubs will join NRL sides Canterbury Bulldogs, Newcastle Knights, North Queensland Cowboys, and St George Illawarra Dragons in what has quickly become rugby league ’s biggest global event.

NRL officials were impressed by Super League’s debut involvement in the event last year, which saw around 10,000 fans travel to Las Vegas as Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves made history by taking the Super League competition Stateside. Encouraged by its success, organisers extended the invitation again for 2026.

For Peters, Hull KR’s selection signals how far the Robins have progressed.

“It’s really exciting for the club, and I think it shows how far the club has come on and off the field to be a part of Vegas 2026. It’s going to be a huge occasion for the club,” Peters said.

“We’re representing Hull KR, but more importantly, we’re representing the entire Super League and rugby league community over here. What comes with that is a lot of responsibility to hold high standards and we’re looking forward to doing that.

“There’s been a lot of hard work that’s gone into the club for many years to step things up on and off the field.

“There’s a lot of positive things happening, and this is another step for us to show how far we’ve come. Like I said, there’s a lot of responsibility involved to make sure we handle ourselves the right way which we’re going to do.”

While Huddersfield Giants, Hull FC, and St Helens had also expressed interest in making the trip, it is Hull KR who secured the coveted spot. The club has also agreed to sacrifice a home fixture.

Peters added: “A while back I was asked if we would like to be a part of it and I said, ‘Of course.’

“From a coach’s perspective, it certainly has its challenges and it’s not your normal week of a game. There’s a lot of distractions and it’ll test culture, there’s no doubt about that. But I’d like to think we’ve got a strong culture and strong leaders that will be able to handle the week accordingly.

“It was one of those, you were never going to say no to an opportunity like this. It’s massive.

“Every club would want to be a part of it. Wigan and Warrington were the first two teams to represent Super League last year and they did a great job.”

With the stage set for another landmark moment in rugby league’s expansion, all eyes will be on Hull KR and Leeds as they carry the Super League banner into one of the sport’s boldest international ventures to date.

The post Willie Peters’ first words on Las Vegas extravaganza with Sin City showcase confirmed appeared first on Where In Hull.

We might have mentioned it once or twice, but we were lucky enough to go to Las Vegas earlier this year for Super League’s Sin City debut – and we’re already booked in for 2026!

Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos are heading to Vegas and will take centre stage at the Allegiant Stadium next year in the biggest event rugby league has to offer. For the supporters of both clubs, it’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and if you’re in a position to make the trip, we couldn’t recommend it enough. There is truly nothing in rugby league that can replicate the sport’s takeover of Vegas.

If you are considering going or are already looking to firm up your travel arrangements, we have a few pointers to share with you to help in the way of making sure you have the best trip possible.

The Las Vegas strip is huge – your hotel location is crucial

Take this from someone who learnt the hard way – the ‘Vegas strip’ is no stroll in the park. When booking last year’s trip, it seemed sensible to book a hotel near to the Allegiant Stadium given we would need to spend some time there.

In hindsight, we would recommend the complete opposite. The state-of-the-art stadium is located right at the bottom of the ‘strip’, and we use that term loosely because to walk from one end to the other will take you a very long time.

As an example, our hotel was located literally across the freeway from Mandalay Bay, but because of the way the city is built, walking from Point A to Point B took half an hour. Walking from the stadium to Bellagio Fountains, which to many is seen as the centre of the strip, will take a little under an hour due to the layout of the strip.

Beyond that, almost every event that took place last year was at the opposite end of the strip to the stadium. While it’s easy to catch an Uber, the costs can quickly add up, especially if you’re wanting to go and freshen up between your day and evening plans.

Our advice would be to try and book a hotel located somewhere between Excalibur and Resorts World, which would put you within a closer proximity of most events and the general nightlife that Las Vegas is famous for. Within that area, you’ll be able to find a range of hotels that will meet the needs of most people and their budgets. Excalibur is normally one of the most affordable hotels and an added bonus is that it has a tram station that will make navigating the city convenient.

At the other end, Resorts World has been the epicentre of the rugby league world during the previous Vegas trips and that’s going to be the same next year. It’s where the teams stay and the majority of the rugby league celebrities tend to locate themselves too. It’s also where the majority of the fan events are held in the days leading up to the game.

It’s a little bit off the centre of the strip but if you’re wanting to do some celebrity spotting or like the idea of being joined by a player at a poker table, this is probably going to be the place for you if your budget will stretch!

On gameday, getting to Allegiant Stadium isn’t difficult, all the hotels have taxi and Uber pick-up spots and on the balance of where you’ll want to spend most of your trip, we’d suggest staying away from Allegiant Stadium. But it’s totally up to you!

Going earlier in the week is probably better than staying into the week after

Earlier this year, I booked my trip for Thursday-Tuesday. Next year, I’m going Tuesday-Sunday.

Why? Because once gameday was over, there really wasn’t much going on. Last year’s itinerary sent out by the NRL saw the launch take place on Wednesday and the wrap party took place on Saturday evening, once the game had finished.

By Monday, Vegas felt quieter. The nightlife wasn’t as vibrant and the city had moved on. The rugby league takeover had come to an end by then. That might be appealing to some, especially if they are trying to convince friends or family who aren’t massive rugby fans to make the trip. It will certainly be easier to enjoy some of Vegas’ experiences if you stay once rugby league is out of town.

But if you’re going with the intention of living and breathing rugby league on your trip, our advice would be to go earlier in the week and embrace the opportunity to attend the fan events and roll into bars that will be packed with supporters and familiar faces on both sides of the world.

Or alternatively, just go for seven nights, giving you the best of both worlds!

Connecting flights? Dublin is a good shout!

There are various different routes you can take to Vegas. It is possible to go direct but many of the options include connecting flights. This can be a turn-off to many but from our experience, it’s not as bad as you might think.

When travelling to America, you have to clear customs and based on feedback we’ve had, trying to clear it in Vegas can take some time. It seemed like on average, people were waiting an hour to get through.

By comparison, I flew from Manchester to Dublin before heading to Vegas and one major benefit of doing that is that you can clear immigration and customs once you arrive in Ireland, and it took about ten minutes to do it. It meant that once we arrived in Vegas, it was straight to the luggage carousel and we were on our way.

Naturally, a connecting flight takes longer than flying direct, but there are some hidden benefits that allow you to make up some of that time back if you fly to certain places (you clear customs and immigration if you head elsewhere in America first too).

And if you have the taste for a Guinness, a stop off in Dublin, where it really does taste much better, is not a terrible idea.

Fremont Street Experience is a must-do!

When you’re making plans for your trip, our one piece of advice above all would be that you absolutely have to attend the Las Vegas Fan Fest at Fremont Street Experience on the Thursday evening.

In the words of James Smailes, this was the greatest rugby league event he has ever experienced. Fremont Street Experience is the original Las Vegas entertainment district and it turns into the biggest rugby league party you will ever be a part of a few nights before gameday. Thousands of supporters packed into the area, all the teams attended and took to the stage and a party commenced straight after.

It was an amazing experience and something that is absolutely essential to do if you’re heading to Vegas next year.

Don’t forget your ESTA!

You wouldn’t be the first but do remember that if you want to go to America, you need to complete an ESTA, which is required to determine that you are eligible to enter the country. It’s relatively simple to do, even if a little time-consuming, but without that, and your passport of course, you won’t be allowed in the country, so make sure you get it done.

The post Five pieces of travel advice to Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos fans before booking Las Vegas trip appeared first on Where In Hull.