Hull KR confirm pre-season schedule as they opt for unique approach

Hull KR have firmed up their pre-season schedule with the Robins taking a unique approach ahead of the 2025 Super League season.

Pre-season will be different for all clubs in 2025 with the Challenge Cup getting underway in January before Super League sides enter in Round Three on the weekend of the 8th and 9th of February.

It means that Super League sides will play in the Cup before the league and also removes a possible pre-season game from some sides. In recent years, three pre-season games has become fairly standard for most teams but only a handful will opt for that many in 2025 with Castleford Tigers among those to lock in that sort of schedule.

Former Hull KR assistant Danny McGuire commands his first pre-season and it will see his side take on Sheffield Eagles, Wakefield Trinity and then host Hull FC with all three matches being testimonials.

They could be the only Super League side to be that active with plenty likely to be opting for just two games but Hull KR have confirmed they will play just one.

Hull KR confirm pre-season plans

The one that Hull KR do play is a special one though as the club travel to Amsterdam to take Rugby League on the road when they face York Knights.

Announced all the way back in May, both sides will ferry across the North Sea to compete in the Netherlands in what will be the Robins’ only pre-season game.

That’s been confirmed by the club in a statement where they have outlined further plans for that match, including a press tour for Willie Peters and centre Jack Broadbent.

A club statement announced: “Hull KR can confirm the first team’s pre-season schedule with the rugbyleague.com Amsterdam Challenge being the Robins’ sole friendly ahead of the 2025 Betfred Super League Season.

“Willie Peters’ Red and Whites will face off against Mark Applegarth’s York RLFC Knights on Saturday 25th January 2025 at Amsterdam’s NRCA Stadium with kick-off at 2:30pm local time.”

Serious concerns had been flagged about the game considering that York Knights, as a Championship side, will be expected to enter the Challenge Cup on that same weekend, however, Serious About RL has been told that a contingency plan is in place, one that will likely see York play a week prior or after the clash.

The club statement would continue: “Next weekend, Willie Peters and Jack Broadbent will travel over to the Netherlands for an extended media tour and be present as invited guests for Netherlands’ National Rugby Union sold-out clash against Chile at the NRCA Stadium next Saturday.

“Following the rugbyleague.com Amsterdam Challenge, the side will then have a week without a game before starting their Betfred Challenge Cup Campaign in Round 3 on the weekend of 8th-9th February.”