It’s a favourite game of many fans across rugby league and a match that divides many families but the Hull derby is always a mouth-watering fixture.
Saturday afternoon’s Hull derby is the first time that Hull FC and Hull KR have met in the Challenge Cup since 1986.
It’s set to be the biggest Cup quarter-final attendance since 1989 as well as Hull FC’s biggest home Cup crowd since 1961.
With new signing Will Pryce set to feature for the home side and both sides starting 2025 in great fashion, it could be one of the best Hull derbies since Super League began.
We’ve selected our top 5 Hull derby games in the Super League era, from controversial refereeing decisions to a complete whitewash for one side.
Our top 5 Hull derby games in Super League
Hull FC 22-14 Hull KR – 9th April 2007
It was the first Hull derby in Super League and Peter Sharp’s Hull FC hung on for the victory. The Black and Whites got in early through Danny Tickle and Shaun Briscoe’s tries before Luke Dyer replied for the visitors. Matt Sing responded early in the second half before tries from David Tangata-Toa and Andreas Bauer gave Rovers some hope. Sid Domic scored in the final minutes to give the Airlie Birds the bragging rights of the city.
Hull FC 30-32 Hull KR – 26th May 2012
David Hodgson grabbed his second try of the afternoon in the final seconds of this match at 2012’s Magic Weekend at the Etihad Stadium. Hull FC went into half-time with an 18-12 lead with tries from Brett Seymour, Richard Horne and Willie Manu before Hodgson shocked the Hull FC fans right at the end to secure victory.
Hull FC 22-16 Hull KR – 25th May 2013
Just a year later, the two meet in Manchester at Magic Weekend again. This is the game of which Hull FC have dubbed ‘the rub of the (Chris) Green’ game. Green earned Hull FC’s first derby win at Magic Weekend but it was a controversial ending. Video referee Steve Ganson had deemed Green to be onside following a Daniel Holdsworth kick, which was incorrect, and the try was given. The RFL later apologised for the error.
Hull KR 20-22 Hull FC – 25th March 2016
In a game that secured Lee Radford’s job, Hull FC came back from a 20-0 deficit in the final twenty minutes to snag a 22-20 win. Tries from Ryan Shaw, Ken Sio and Iain Thornley gave Rovers a 20-0 lead at the sixty-minute mark. Hull FC scored four tries in fifteen minutes through Jamie Shaul, Danny Houghton, Mahe Fonua and Steve Michaels. Marc Sneyd converted Michaels’ try four minutes from the full-time whistle. Both head coaches, Hull KR’s James Webster and Hull FC’s Lee Radford, both featured in the first Super League derby back in 2007.
Hull FC 0-40 Hull KR – 7th April 2023
This match was Hull FC head coach Tony Smith’s first derby against his former side and also Rovers’ Willie Peters’ debut derby game in charge. Peters’ side had their Black and White rivals’ number that day. A hat-trick from Ryan Hall gave the visitors an outstanding victory in a season which saw them make the play-ff semi-finals, losing to eventual champions Wigan Warriors, with Hull FC finishing in tenth.
There’s also a notable mention of Hull KR’s 22-0 victory over Hull FC on 15th February 2024, their season opener. This is the game that saw two red cards for Hull FC for Franklin Pele and Ligi Sao as well as sin-bins for FC’s Herman Ese’ese and Rovers’ Matt Parcell. It was Hull KR’s third away derby win on the bounce too.
