Danny McGuire: Hull KR half-back on coping with Qualifiers pressures

Danny McGuire joined Hull KR from Leeds for the 2018 season

On Sunday, half-back Danny McGuire will put his body on the line in a bid to secure Hull KR's Super League status against Widnes Vikings.

Rovers need to win by 14 or more points to finish in the top three of the Qualifiers, automatically return to the elite division and avoid the stresses and strains of the Million Pound Game.

Before that though, there are equally pressing matters for the 35-year-old former Great Britain and England international.

"I've got my little boy I've got to take to school, pick up from school, make his tea - those distractions keep you busy," McGuire told BBC Sport.

"You realise rugby's important, you want to be successful and win, but there's the other side of life you have to take care of."

• Rovers skipper Shaun Lunt "sweet" despite hospitalisation

McGuire, who left champions Leeds for Rovers at the end of last season, is grateful to his domestic circumstances for balancing out the frustrations of professional sport.

"I've been good for the last few years at not sort of taking rugby home with me," he said.

"When I was younger if we had a bad game or I'd not play well I'd drag the weekend out, but as you get older and wiser you don't take the disappointments and your stresses home."

Twelve months on

The scenario facing McGuire this autumn is a rather different one, although the rewards and the desire for victory are just as great.

Whereas last season he hoisted the Super League trophy aloft at Old Trafford as the final act in 23 years with his hometown club Leeds, this year he will just be happy with steering Rovers to safety.

They began the Qualifiers with defeat by a resurgent Salford at Craven Park but followed that loss with four straight wins.

However, defeat by Toulouse - a game in which they were 19-0 up - added a unhealthy dollop of jeopardy going into the final round.

"Whenever you're involved in professional sport or sport at a high level there's pressure to play well or perform," McGuire continued. "This situation is all about survival, about performing under pressure and in pressure situations.

"The Grand Final is a different kind of pressure. In a weird kind of way, this season's task is enjoyable, it's a challenge and you've just got to do your best."

'Qualifiers have too much unpredictability'

McGuire's rollercoaster past few seasons have taken in a domestic treble, a battle against relegation with Leeds in the Qualifiers, another Super League title and then yet another brush with the controversial Qualifiers this term.

This season will be the last in the format's short history, a factor which adds further tension to the quest to be in Super League before the shake-up.

The new format would have kept Rovers safe, with Widnes relegated as the bottom side in a one-up, one-down promotion and relegation setup to replace the convoluted Qualifiers.

"We finished 10th in the league, its tough," McGuire said ruefully. "To be honest, everyone is enjoying the Qualifiers in a weird kind of way as it's kept the season going. No one is bothered about the Super 8s now until the semi-finals.

"I'm pretty sure if you asked most players they'd tell you they're happy the format has changed, most players want to know what the craic is and the one-up, one-down is the way forward.

"There has to be promotion and relegation in there as that's what we do in British sport, but the Qualifiers have too much unpredictability, and I'll be glad to see the back of it."

'We know the situation - take care of our job'

After Salford beat Toulouse on Thursday and Toronto overcame Leeds on Friday, Rovers know exactly what they must do to avoid a repeat of the Million Pound Game they faced in 2016.

Their torment was compounded by a last-gasp defeat by Salford which saw them drop out of the top flight, only bounce back at the first attempt.

The equation is simple - the margin of victory must be greater than 14 to ensure they leapfrog Toronto into the precious third spot.

"With the Qualifiers it's a tough position to be in," McGuire continued. "But we're in there for a reason as we didn't get enough points to get into the eights, it's just about getting the job done and securing our survival.

"We know the situation, Tim [Sheens] and the coaching staff are professional. We just have to take care of our job and hopefully we can do our lap of honour and hang those boots up for the year.

"If it doesn't go to plan we'd be lacing the boots up again the weekend after."