Hull KR coach rejects travel excuses amid early season struggles as Craven Park admission made

Hull KR boss Willie Peters refuses to use their extravagant early season travel schedule as an excuse for a sluggish start to the year, but admits all involved are relishing a return home this weekend.

The Robins – who enjoyed a pre-season training camp in Tenerife back in January – played their first competitive game of the year on home soil at Craven Park on February 6, beating community club Lock Lane 104-0 in the Third Round of the Challenge Cup.

Since then, they have travelled to York, across the city to Hull FC’s home ground to stage the World Club Challenge, Las Vegas to take on Leeds Rhinos, Huddersfield in back-to-back weekends and Perpignan.

Last weekend’s visit across the Channel to the South of France brought a third defeat in four Super League games this term, and before April is over, KR will make a similar journey as they venture to Toulouse Olympique.

Want more Love Rugby League? Add us as a preferred source on Google and ensure you never miss our exclusives and breaking news!

“We’ve had some players that haven’t been well since Vegas… then you’ve got to go on another plane over to France, so that heightens it again’

Before that trip to Toulouse, Peters’ side now have three home games on the spin at Craven Park, starting with Friday night’s visit of St Helens.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, the Robins’ head coach said: “We always knew it was going to be a difficult start to the season, and it has been. Results have said that as well.

“We’ve had some players that haven’t been well since Vegas, they’ve cracked on and played. But then you’ve got to go on another plane over to France, so that heightens it again.

“Everyone goes through these sorts of things. The positive to that is we’ve now got three home games on the bounce where we haven’t had any home games (in Super League) all season.

“No doubt coming back here will bring a step back into the players, but also the fans as well. We’re looking forward to playing in front of our home fans again.”

‘There’s no doubt that it’s been difficult for the players, it’s real. Whether people understand that or not, it genuinely has’

Using their Craven Park home as a base, seven games into 2026 across all competitions, KR’s round-trip mileage for the season so far clocks in at around the 12,200-mark.

The Good Friday derby against Hull FC follows this weekend’s Super League clash against Saints, and then it’s a Challenge Cup quarter-final tie as York come to town.

Peters continued: “There’s no doubt that it’s been difficult for the players, it’s real. Whether people understand that or not, it genuinely has.

“There’s been illness within the group. But every team has got something going on behind the scenes. Whether they travel or not, there’s illness going on or stuff behind the scenes that people aren’t aware about.

“You just get on with it, that’s what you do and that’s what we’re doing. Although we didn’t win last weekend, we still put ourselves in a position to win that game, so we’re not far off.

“This week is a new week and a new opportunity, so as long as we turn up with the frame of mind that we’re going to put in an 80-minute performance like we’re capable of, I’m sure you’re going to see a KR side that’s putting itself in a position to win.

“We’re going out to win every game, we have all season. We haven’t got the results that we’ve wanted, but we’ll certainly put ourselves in a strong positions back at home this weekend.”