Sandercock hoping to stay as Hull Kingston Rovers board ponder future

HULL KR head coach Craig Sandercock is hopeful his contract will be extended into 2014.
Hull KR coach Craig Sandercock.Hull KR coach Craig Sandercock.
Hull KR coach Craig Sandercock.

The Australian has been under plenty of pressure after Rovers failed to make the play-offs for the first time in four years last season.

He has struggled to improve things in his second campaign, with the East Yorkshire club currently in ninth place and having been knocked out of the Tetley’s Challenge Cup following yesterday’s 46-14 home loss to Wigan Warriors.

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Sections of support have grown tired of the side’s inconsistencies while Rovers chairman Neil Hudgell wrote in his programme notes that the club’s board hope to make a decision on his future in the “next few weeks”.

Sandercock said: “I’ve not seen those notes but, of course, I want to stay here. The bottom line is it’s a great club and I love it.”

It remains to be seen, though, if he will be kept on, with many people believing Rovers will look for a fresh approach next term.

Sandercock, meanwhile, was upset by the manner in which his side exited the Challenge Cup.

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They had led 4-0 until Sam Tomkins scored in the 32nd minute and should have been further ahead rather than 12-4 down at the break.

“It was really disappointing as we bombed a couple of dead-set tries,” he said. “I thought we deserved more of a lead and you need to take your chances against good sides like Wigan.

“There was a break we made that we should have scored from and there was no excuse for that.

“We trained hard this week and laid down a gameplan that we thought would make us competitive.

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“We defended with vigour and had an even share of the penalty count but then conceded a few really disappointing tries.

“We need to work a lot harder on our last tackle plays as five or six of their tries came from kicks.”

That gameplan involved showing real physicality and aggression against a Wigan side that looked shocked early on by the way Rovers set about them. Blake Green had to go off injured after being tackled by Cory Paterson in a challenge Wigan coach Shaun Wane described as “shocking”.

“It was an old-fashioned cup tie, a real tough battle and they (Hull KR) had a dig,” he said. “Blake is in a bad way. It was a shocking tackle but I can’t say what I want to.”

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Sandercock has problems of his own as David Hodgson (dislocated finger) and Paterson (wrist) headed straight to hospital last night for X-rays.

Meanwhile, Hudgell has been openly touting for investment in the club he has raised from the doldrums using his own money.

He has said funding will stop ahead of next season and he still needs to find a way to finance the club for the rest of the season.