Former Wigan Warriors star Willie Peters faces his old club on Saturday as he gets his Hull Kingston Rovers coaching reign underway at Sewell Group Craven Park in front of the Channel 4 cameras.
Following on from the World Club Challenge between Penrith Panthers and St Helens, the Robins clash host the Warriors for the second successive opening day with a view to gaining revenge for a 24-10 loss this time last year.
Here's everything you need to know about Saturday's clash.
Hull Kingston Rovers v Wigan Warriors
Where: Sewell Group Craven Park, Hull.
When: 1.00pm (GMT)
TV: Channel 4
Hull KR’s last five: Won 36-4 @ Hull FC (03/09/22), Won 38-28 v Wigan (29/08/22), Lost 6-18 @ Wakefield (25/08/22), Lost 12-38 @ St Helens (19/08/22), Lost 20-28 v Leeds (12/08/22)
Wigan's last five: Lost 8-20 v Leeds (16/09/22 - semi-final), Won 48-4 v Catalans (02/09/22), Lost 28-38 @ Hull KR (29/08/22), Won 30-10 v St Helens (26/08/22), Won 52-6 v Toulouse (19/08/22)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Hull KR 9/4, Wigan 4/11, draw 20/1
Handicap betting (Hull KR +8.5): Hull KR 5/6, Wigan 10/11
Previous meetings:
Round 26, 2022: Hull Kingston Rovers 38, Wigan Warriors 28
Round 21, 2022: Wigan Warriors 46, Hull Kingston Rovers 4
Round 1, 2022: Hull Kingston Rovers 10, Wigan Warriors 24
Round 19, 2021: Hull Kingston Rovers 26, Wigan Warriors 14
Round 10, 2021: Wigan Warriors 8, Hull Kingston Rovers 18
Total Super League meetings: 35 (Hull KR 10, Wigan 24, one draw)
Rovers are going all-out to make a carnival atmosphere of Saturday afternoon's fixture on national terrestrial TV, with indie band The K's playing a set beforehand and a host of other experiences on offer. It has led to high demand for tickets, with the hope being that Craven Park could be close to a sell-out.
On the pitch new boss Willie Peters could give debuts to NRL imports Rhys Kenndedy, Sauaso Sue and Tom Opacic, while Ireland's World Cup star Louis Senior has also arrived from Huddersfield Giants. Peters' big hope, though, will be that star half-back Mikey Lewis is available more often than not this season after an injury-affected 2022.
Wigan are still stewing over their semi-final loss to Leeds Rhinos last September, and no one less so than head coach Matt Peet. He'll be wanting his Warriors to come out firing in his second season in charge of first-team affairs, having won the Betfred Challenge Cup in his first tilt. Jake Wardle and Toby King are Wigan's biggest injections to the playing squad ahead of what many believe could be a serious run for the Super League title in 2023.
Sportsman stat: Rovers have the unenviable title for having gone the longest without a win in the opening game of a Super League season, drawing one and losing five in their six top-flight campaigns between 2012 and 2018.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
