Former Hull KR player and interim head coach James Webster has taken up a key role within the club’s youth system ahead of the 2026 season.
Webster returned to Craven Park last year to take up a role within the Rovers’ academy set-up, working specifically with the club’s young half-backs. However, he has now stepped up his involvement with the club to take on the scholarship head coach role.
It’s a position that will see him lead Rovers’ scholarship intake for the new season and given his CV, he has plenty of experience to offer them.
The 46-year-old started his career down under with Balmain Tigers and went on to play for Parramatta Eels before making the move from the NRL to Hull KR in 2005. Webster went on to make 94 appearances for the Robins and helped the club win promotion to Super League in 2006 before moving on to represent Hull FC and Widnes Vikings as a player.
He returned to the club in a coaching capacity in 2016 to take up the interim head coach role following the sacking of Chris Chester. He remained with the club as an assistant following the appointment of Tim Sheens and helped the Robins to another promotion to Super League.
Since then he has spent time coaching with Featherstone Rovers and Leeds Rhinos, while he has also worked as a lecturer in sports business management at Leeds Beckett University.
“I am absolutely delighted that James has accepted our offer to lead the club’s scholarship program,” head of rugby Pete Riding said. “He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience that can improve the side.
“The holistic development of our young players is incredibly important and the quality of people we put around our young people is very important to us and their development.
“I am very excited to be working with James going forward and look forward to seeing our scholarship side get to work for 2026.”
Webster said: “The last month has been a really positive and refreshing one for me personally. I have loved working with the scholars as they seem so keen to learn.
“All the staff have a common goal of developing these players to allow each of them to have the basis to progress to the academy. I’m eager to continue the training and development of these young players on and off the field, and the season can’t come quick enough.”
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