Lunt hopeful of quick return for Rovers

Hull KR hooker Shaun Lunt is optimisitic about his progress in recovering from a recent operation on his ankle.

The ankle problem seemed to trigger other issues too, with the player suffering back problems too, but he is confident he will be back playing within less than a month.

“It’s going well. I had a bone cut out my ankle and a little clear-out,” he told Love Rugby League.

“It was an eight-week injury. I was hoping to get back sooner than that, but the operation wasn’t as easy-peasy as everyone thought it was going to be.

“I’m hoping to get back as soon as I can now in the next couple of weeks.

“I believe that that was the cause of all my other problems, so hopefully it’s taken care of all the other problems I’ve had.

“Hopefully, this is the source of the pain from when I had the back problem last year. So fingers crossed!”

While Lunt has been recovering from his operation, Hull Kr have not enjoyed a good start to 2016, picking up only one point so far from four games.

That record saw coach Chris Chester relieved of his duties as coach, and Lunt was sad to see him depart.

“I’m sad to see him go,” he said.

“I get on really well with Chris. He brought me to the club, so I’ve got him to thank for that.

“But at the end of the day rugby league is a cut-throat business, and the club’s made the decision to get rid of him, and only time will tell if that was the right thing to do or not.

“I do feel for coaches, they live and die by the sword. Their heads are on the chopping block if the results don’t go the right way.

“He’s a good bloke is Chris, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

One name linked with replacing Chester as Rovers coach is Paul Rowley, who recently departed his role at Leigh.

Lunt feels Rowley would be a good choice to succeed Chester at the Robins.

“He’s been fantastic,” he said.

“For the last couple of years they’ve been up there as the top team in the Championship.

“They’ve had an indifferent start to the season have Leigh withouth his leadership, so maybe that’s a sign of just how good he really is.

“I’ve heard all good things about him, but, again, we’ll just have to see who the coach is when the board decides.”

One man who is making a difference at the KC Lightstream Stadium is former Leeds prop Jamie Peacock, who is now in place as Rovers head of rugby.

“He’s been absolutely brilliant has JP,” said Lunt.

“He’s just what the club needed. They’ve got some very good people involved in the club – Neil Hugell is fantastic, he’s really passionate about the club.

“And we needed someone like JP to really spearhead the club going forwward in a no-nonsense way.

“JP has certainly ruffled up the feathers in the camp, and everyone is on board and happy.”