‘It’s started’ – Hull KR boss Willie Peters lifts lid on pre-Ashes banter and his Australia role pride

Hull KR boss Willie Peters is fully focused on this weekend’s Super League Grand Final but that hasn’t stopped him from engaging in some early Ashes banter. That’s because Peters will be a member of Australia’s coaching staff this autumn when they take on England in the Ashes.

Peters will serve as an assistant to head coach Kevin Walters and that’s a role that sees him go directly up against some of his current KR players. Of course, Shaun Wane won’t announce his squad until Monday, after the Grand Final, but it’s fair to predict that at least two or three Robins will make the cut.

Mikey Lewis and Jez Litten are among those set to be included, while James Batchelor and Elliot Minchella were named in the mid-season squad and Tom Davies, Dean Hadley and Joe Burgess are likely to have been considered.

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Indeed, it’s a bizarre situation and one that has rarely been seen before but Peters will be working hard to ensure his Robins players experience a miserable Ashes series against the Kangaroos.

“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s a great opportunity,” Peters told Serious About RL on the opportunity to join up with Walters’ squad when speaking at the Grand Final media event. “I said before I was involved that the Ashes series is going to be close and it’s going to be a part of it is something I’m really proud of.

“There’s a lot of history between the two countries and I think it’s the closest it’s going to be in terms of what side England have and the Australian side will still be a good side no matter what side is picked, we had a couple drop out today (Tuesday).

“It’s there but it’s not on my mind at the moment. Kevin Walters has been really supportive of that, saying you just make sure you worry about that and we’ll worry about that after the Grand Final. I’m really honoured to be a part of it.”

Asked if there had been words exchanged between himself and some of those Hull KR players likely to be in the England set-up, he laughed: “It’s started a little bit with Mikey because I’ve just spent two hours with him in a car!

“We haven’t had too much yet but it will. Jez Litten is apparently losing my number for a month but I’ll find a way to be able to ring him.”