On Tuesday, Hull KR announced their latest overseas project in the shape of the Amsterdam Challenge. The Robins will head to the Netherlands next year, a trip that will be headed by a pre-season match against Championship side, York Knights. Here are all the key details that we know so far.
The Match
Willie Peters’ side will face York Knights, who are currently playing in the Championship. The match will take place on January 25th, 2025 at the NCRA Stadium, a 5,000-capacity stadium. It was built in 1997 and has been the home of rugby games in both codes over the years.
The stadium is around 21 kilometres out of the city centre, and Rovers have confirmed that they are planning transport options, such as shuttle buses, to ensure supporters will be able to get to the facility with relative ease.
Is rugby league played in the Netherlands?
Yes! In fact, it’s actually had something of a growth spurt in recent years. They now have their own competition, the NRLB, which has six clubs. Included are teams such as the Amsterdam Cobras, Rotterdam Pitbulls, Harderwijk Dolphins and Den Haag Knights. Last year, the Cobras won the competition, defeating Zwolle Wolves in the final.
Internationally, they have recently moved up the men’s world rankings to twelfth after defeating Norway and Albania last year. They are currently ranked above the likes of Italy, Ireland and Wales. The women’s game has just nicely taken off in the country too and they are now 18th in the world rankings.
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What is the purpose of the venture?
We’ve more to come on this, but in a nutshell, Rovers have some key motives. They are to grow the Robins brand internationally, which has already seen them partner up with the Papua New Guinean club, Port Moresby Vipers. They also want to help grow the game in the Netherlands for good measure.
It’s also an opportunity for their supporters to have another trip as part of supporting the club. The fanbase has shown an appetite for travelling with the numbers they have taken to France and with Magic Weekend moving closer to home, it’s at Elland Road this year, Amsterdam allows them to have a weekend away.
It’s also an opportunity for Hull KR to take their match experience overseas. A lot of the regular fixtures that have made nights at Craven Park popular will be implemented on the day of that match.
Are there any travel packages through the club?
Yes. There are tailored options for one or two-night stays and there’s also an option to travel there and back all within the space of one day. To check out the full selection of the club’s packages, click here.