Willie Poching: Wakefield to bring in their former second-row forward as assistant coach

Willie Poching has been on the staff of almost half the clubs in the current 11-team Super League

Hull Kingston Rovers assistant coach Willie Poching is to leave at the end of the season to rejoin his former club Wakefield Trinity.

The New Zealand-born former second-row forward, 47, will become assistant coach to Chris Chester from 1 November.

Poching, who began two seasons with Trinity as a player in 1999, previously worked with Chester at Hull KR.

He has three times worked with Rovers boss Tony Smith, at Leeds, Warrington and Rovers, and was briefly at Salford.

"It's a move I'm really excited about," said Poching. "Being here with Chezzy will be great. The club has some top ambitions, is going in the right direction and it's up to me now to try and input some of my knowledge."

"I really enjoyed working with Willie at Hull KR," said Chester. "We've kept in touch since and I'm looking forward to working with him again. I know the boys will love working with him too."

Wakefield are currently ninth in the readjusted win-percentage Super League 2020 table, on 23%, two places above Hull KR, who have 20%. But Rovers have turned the corner in their last two games, stunning Wigan and losing by only a point to champions St Helens.