Hull KR coach Willie Peters does not expect rule changes currently being contemplated in the NRL to be in force for the World Club Challenge against the Broncos on February 19.
Giving scoring teams the option to kick-off or receive and expanding match day squads to 19 are two of the tweaks being considered by the League - and they could be in force by this weekend’s pre-season kick-off.
But Peters, who took the Robins to an historic English domestic treble last year, has given no thought at all to playing under those rules at MKM Stadium in the clash to decide the world's best club team.
“It’s a good question - we haven’t got that far yet but I think it will be the same as what we’re playing now, won’t it?” Peters told NRL.com
“We (Super League) are trying to get as close to the NRL in terms of the way it’s refereed.
“I need to find out what the rules are because I’m not sure. I’m assuming it’s still going to be the same; the ruck speed will be similar to over there now because that’s what we’re trying to do here. But yeah, we need to find out.”
No referee has been announced for the sold-out clash between the Super League champions and NRL premiers Brisbane at the 25,500 capacity home of Rovers’ cross-town rivals, Hull FC.
On other differences between the two competitions - like when starting teams are named - Peters said he had a relaxed approach.
During the Ashes, Australia made its final 17 including designated starters and interchanges public on Tuesday - which is the NRL convention - while England held things back until 90 minutes before kick-off with a squad earlier in the week, which is how things work in Super League.
Peters said he’d be guided by how straight-forward his selections would be after the season opens in York on February 12.
“There’s what we normally do over here … I think I’ll just wait and see where we’re at after York and go from there because honestly that’s all I’m focusing on now,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Gold Coast forward Jai Whitbread aims to allay any doubts over his availability for the season opener, the WCC and Vegas this Friday when Rovers host amateur team Lock Lane in the Challenge Cup at Sewell Group Craven Park.
“I has an incident in one of the Leeds games mid-year,” the 28-year-old forward explained.
“I had little PCL tear and I had a cyst in the back of my knee that just kept filling with fluid and it was quite uncomfortable. I was getting that drained pretty much every week just to train and play.
“Then the off-season came around and it didn’t get any better. I came back to training and because of that I had some cartilage in the front of my knee that spurred up and was getting caught.
“So, I had just that cleaned out. A couple of weeks and I’m back in full training.
I’m playing this week.”
