Hull Kingston Rovers have confirmed the club will part company with assistant coach Willie Poching at the end of the season.
Poching, who played for New Zealand and Samoa during his playing career, is out of contract at the end of the year and has ambitions to become a head coach.
The 42-year-old had been a part of the backroom staff at Leeds and Warrington before joining Rovers while he also had a stint as the Samoan national coach. Poching took charge of Rovers following Chris Chester’s departure earlier in the year before James Webster took over for the remained of the season.
Hull KR’s head of rugby, Jamie Peacock, said: “We have decided to part ways with Willie at the end of the season but he will leave us with our best wishes for the future.
“I think the time is right for Willie to fulfil his long-term ambition to be a head coach. The moment comes in a coach’s career when he has moved past being an assistant and Willie is ready for a bigger role now.
“He showed in his few games in charge here earlier in the season that he has the right skillset and experience to be successful as a head coach and I’ve no doubt that he will find the right opportunity.
“In the meantime, Willie is a respected member of our coaching department and he will continue to do his duties to the best of his abilities until the end of the season.”
