Five fixtures that could define Hull Kingston Rovers 2022 campaign

With the 2022 Super League schedule finalised and the 12 teams knowing their fate, we look at five games that could define Hull Kingston Rovers’ campaign.

Round 1: Wigan Warriors at Craven Park, February 11 (8 pm – Sky Sports)

A tasty opening affair sees Wigan Warriors travel over to East Hull after the Robins did the double over the Lancashire outfit last time around. The tie will see Matty Peat take charge of his debut game as Head Coach after replacing Adrian Lam following a disappointing campaign as Wigan set out to be a different proposition this season.  A good start in Super League sets the platform for any team and both KR and Wigan will be looking to start the season with a bang as the Sky cameras roll into town,  if the last meeting between these sides is anything to go off, expect a fiery clash to kick off the 2022 season.

Round 4: St Helens at Craven Park, March 6 (3 pm)

Due to covid complications, Rovers only faced the champions once in 2021, with Saints recording a 25-0 victory over the Robins in the “Mose Masoe” round. Emotions will be high come round four with Saints hero Lachlan Coote lining up against his former employers for the first time since making the switch over the Pennines. The match will be a fantastic opportunity for Rovers to go toe-to-toe with the three-peat winners and will give an indication of where KR are as a team. With the support of the famous East Stand and Craven Streat behind them, Tony Smith’s men will be relishing the chance to test themselves against the league’s best.

Hull Kingston Rovers will travel across the channel to France three times in 2022, with the second visit over being the most challenging. Toulouse poses a different threat to the team they replaced in the top tier in Leigh and if the Olympique fans can make the Stade Ernest Wallen a fortress, much like their French neighbours Catalans have done with the Brutus, expect most of their home fixtures to be matches that go right down to the wire. The biggest challenge in Round nine is the fact Rovers will be coming off a derby fixture just three days prior to the trip to France whereas Toulouse will have an extra day’s rest after the first-ever all French Super League fixture. With battered bodies and a short turnaround for both teams, the two points will go to the team who wants it the most.

Round 18: Hull FC at St James’ Park, July 10 (5.30pm)

Magic Weekend in the past has seen the event change the way a team’s season pans out due to the result they leave with from the spectacle. Derbies are back in 2022 with a red and white vs black and white derby being played at St James’ Park once again, colours normally recognised in the North East with Newcastle and Sunderland. Magic Weekend games between the cross-city rivals have been aggressive, controversial but ultimately entertaining and both teams will be aiming to bring the bragging rights back down the A1 as the Hull derby returns to Tyneside.

A mouth-watering end to the regular season awaits both Hull sides with the rivals locking horns to wrap up the campaign before the play-offs. Both sides are predicted and expected to be battling it out with the likes of Castleford, Leeds and Wigan to make up the lower end of the top 6 and the outcome of this final clash could have a huge say in which team will be progressing into the knockout stages of Super League. A packed out MKM Stadium will be expected with the proposition of three Hull Derby’s in 2022 after just one made the cut in 2021 after two postponements due to Covid-19 protocols.

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