Hull derby

{{Short description|Rugby league rivalry between Hull F.C. and Hull Kingston Rovers}}

{{Infobox sports rivalry

| name = Hull F.C. – Hull K.R.

| other names =

| image =

| caption =

| city or region = Kingston upon Hull

| first contested = 22 March 1902

| team1 = {{leagueicon|Hull fc|13}} Hull F.C.

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Hull KR|13}} Hull KR

| stadiums = MKM Stadium
Craven Park

| most wins = Hull F.C. (124)

| most player appearances =

| mostrecent = Hull F.C. 14–28 Hull KR (18 April 2025)

| nextmeeting = 7 September 2025

| total = 247

| league = RFL-1 and SL

| series =

| regularseason =

| postseason =

| largestvictory = Hull F.C. 56–12 Hull KR (19 April 2019) {{cite web|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/NDEtLS0tLS0tLS0tLTYzLS1uLS0tLS0tLS0=|title = Custom Match List |publisher=Rugby League Project |accessdate=21 May 2023}}

| map_location = United Kingdom East Riding of Yorkshire

| map_width = 240

| map_caption = Locations of the two Hull teams within the East Riding of Yorkshire

| map_label1 = Hull F.C.

| map_label1_position = left

| coordinates1 = {{coord|53.746111|-0.367778}}

| map_label2 = Hull KR

| coordinates2 = {{coord|53.753889|-0.264722}}

}}

The Hull derby refers to the rugby league rivalry between Hull F.C. and Hull Kingston Rovers. Both rugby teams are based in the city of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The rivalry is the only British rugby league rivalry where the two clubs are from the same city. It is compared to the St Helens R.F.C.–Wigan Warriors rivalry as one of the highest profile rugby league rivalries in the United Kingdom.{{cite web|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/when-is-a-derby-not-a-derby/|title = When is a derby not a derby |publisher=Love Rugby League|date = 26 January 2011 |accessdate=6 June 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/ranking-the-top-10-rivalries-in-british-rugby-league-37673/|title=Ranking the top 10 rivalries in British Rugby League |publisher=Serious About Rugby League |date=10 March 2021 |accessdate=6 June 2021}}

History

{{multiple image

| align = center

| image1 = KC Stadium.JPG

| width1 = 122

| alt1 =

| caption1 =

| image2 = Sewell Group Craven Park Entrance.jpg

| width2 = 162

| alt2 =

| caption2 =

| footer = The MKM Stadium (left) and Craven Park (right) are the homes of Hull F.C. and Hull KR.

}}

Hull F.C. and Hull KR were founded in 1865 and 1882 respectively. Hull F.C. were founding members of the Northern Rugby Football Union and breakaway code of rugby league in 1895. Hull KR initially remained playing rugby union but opted to join rugby league two years later after controversy over alleged professionalism (which was banned in rugby union) in their Yorkshire Cup win in 1897. Though the Yorkshire Rugby Football Union found them not guilty after an inquiry,{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79255730/ |title=Alleged professionalism in Yorkshire |work=The Guardian |via=Newspapers.com |date=15 January 1897 |page=7 |accessdate=9 June 2021}} the Rugby Football Union overturned the YRFU's decision and suspended Hull KR.{{cite thesis|first=Tony |last=Collins |url=http://shura.shu.ac.uk/20645/1/10701292.pdf |title=Class, commercialism and community in the origins and development of the Northern Rugby Football Union 1857–1910. |publisher=Sheffield Hallam University |page=215 |date=1996 |type=PhD |accessdate=9 June 2021}}{{cite book

| first= Michael E.

| last= Ulyatt

| year= 1983

| title= Hull Kingston Rovers – A Centenary History 1883–1983

| edition= 1st

| publisher= Lockington Publishing Co. Ltd.

| location= North Ferriby

| isbn= 0-905490-24-X

}}

The two clubs were at the centre of a dispute in 1896 over use of the Athletics Ground (later renamed The Boulevard). Hull KR originally had tenancy however Hull F.C. took it over, forcing Hull KR out, after arguing they should have primacy as the older club and because they paid triple the £50 (£{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|50|1896|2019|r=-2}}}} in 2019) a year rent that Hull KR were paying. Hull F.C. purchased the ground outright in 1899 for £6,500 (£{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|6500|1899|2019|r=-2}}}} in 2019).{{cite book |first=David |last=Goodman |title=Hull City A History |chapter=3 |year=2014 |publisher=Amberley Publishing |isbn=9781445616773}} Hull KR moved to the east of the city and founded their own ground of Craven Street. Hull KR took their place as a fully-fledged Northern Union club in 1899/1900 and, on 16 September 1899, they played the first competitive first team derby against Hull FC, winning 8–2 in front of a crowd of 14,000 at Craven Street. Finishing sixth out of 16 clubs in the YSC, above their neighbours, was a remarkable achievement in their first season in the NU.

The rivalry between the two sides sees a geographic split with the two teams separated by the River Hull; people living west of the river tend to support F.C. while residents east of the river are mostly Hull KR fans.{{cite news|url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/east-v-west-hull-rivalry-2679464.amp|title = East vs west Hull: Does the rivalry really exist? |newspaper=Hull Daily Mail |date = 24 March 2019}} In 1981, the derby match on Good Friday was marred by hooliganism and brick throwing between the rival fans at The Boulevard. Hull F.C. were fined £1,000 and threatened with closure of their home ground unless it passed an inspection.{{cite news |first=Angus |last=Young |url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/hull-fc-hull-kr-derby-2772131 |title=The Hull FC v Hull KR Good Friday derby that descended into one of city's darkest hours |newspaper=Hull Daily Mail |date=19 April 2019 |accessdate=9 June 2021}}

The two sides competed in the 1979–80 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, which saw a Hull KR victory with a scoreline of 10–5 to mark their first Challenge Cup. Hull FC had won the cup once prior to then but never at Wembley, which became a source of ridicule for Rovers fans. The Black and Whites have since won the cup 4 times including twice at Wembley, most recently in 2017.{{cite web|url= https://www.hullfc.com/club/history-stats/honours|title = Club Honours|publisher = Hull FC|accessdate=14 March 2022}}

Ahead of the formation of the Super League in 1996, a merger proposal was rejected along with several others which would have seen both teams merge to form one club called Humberside. The merger proposal was intended to form higher-quality teams ahead of the new competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/throwback-thursday-what-super-league-should-look-like/|title = Throwback Thursday: What Super League should look like|date = 10 January 2019}} Hull F.C. were first promoted to the Super League in its third season in 1998, whilst Hull KR gained their first season in the competition in 2007, with the two clubs then playing their first derby in 13 years.{{cite news|url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/hull-fc-hull-kr-2007-4034765|title = How the first Super League Hull derby unfolded and what was said|date = 9 April 2020 |newspaper=Hull Daily Mail |accessdate=9 June 2021}} Hull F.C. have never been relegated from the Super League since their initial promotion,{{cite web|last=Seel |first=Rob |url=https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/ranking-every-newly-promoted-team-in-super-league-history-from-worst-to-best-37447/ |title=Ranking every newly-promoted team in Super League history from worst to best |publisher=Serious About Rugby League |date=1 January 1970 |accessdate=9 June 2021}} whereas Hull KR spent one season in the Championship in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/sep/09/hull-kr-promoted-back-to-super-league-widnes-match-report |title=Hull KR floor Widnes to secure top-flight promotion at the first attempt |work=The Guardian |date= 9 September 2017|accessdate=9 June 2021}}

The 2025 Challenge Cup quarter final derby was the first cup derby in 39 years, attracting an attendance of 20,226 to the MKM Stadium, the largest Challenge Cup quarter final attendance since a fixture between Leeds and Widnes in the 1989 Challenge Cup attracted over 29,000 fans to the Headingley Rugby Stadium.{{cite news|last1=Woodcock|first1=Ian|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/articles/cj0zjg4q7vvo|title=Favourites will 'go out of window' in Hull derby |date=4 April 2025|work=BBC Sport|access-date=5 April 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Bower |first1=Aaron |title=Every Challenge Cup attendance record set to be broken in quarter-finals |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/every-challenge-cup-attendance-record-set-to-be-broken-in-quarter-finals |access-date=6 April 2025 |work=Love Rugby League |date=4 April 2025}} Hull KR won the fixture with a scoreline of 32–16, knocking Hull F.C. out of the cup and ensuring their place in the semi finals.{{cite news |last1=Tomlinson |first1=Daniel |title=Hull KR weather Hull FC storm to record derby victory and seal semi-final spot |url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/match-reports/hull-kr-weather-hull-fc-10083729 |access-date=6 April 2025 |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=5 April 2025}} They would go on to win the final against the Warrington Wolves - their first major trophy in 40 years.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/cn4qdpnq32wo|title=Hull KR beat Warrington to end 45-year Challenge Cup title wait|last=Freeman|first=Jay|date=7 June 2025|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=10 June 2025}}

Head to Head

:Statistics correct as of 18 April 2025{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/teams/hull-fc/head2head.html|title=Hull FC – Head to Head |publisher=Rugby League Project |accessdate=6 June 2021}}

In all competitions, competitive and uncompetitive:

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Played !Hull F.C. !Drawn !Hull KR
247 \|124 \|10 \|113

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

Played

!Hull F.C.

!Drawn

!Hull KR

247

|124

|10

|113

=Meetings in major finals=

1920–21 Yorkshire Cup Final: Hull KR 2–0 Hull F.C.
1920–21 NFRL Division One Championship Final: Hull F.C. 16–14 Hull KR
1967-68 Yorkshire Cup Final: Hull KR 8–7 Hull F.C.
1979-80 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final: Hull F.C. 13–3 Hull KR
1979–80 Challenge Cup Final: Hull KR 10–5 Hull F.C.
1980–81 Premiership Final: Hull KR 11–7 Hull F.C.
1981–82 League Cup Final: Hull F.C. 12–4 Hull KR
1984–85 Yorkshire Cup Final: Hull F.C. 29–12 Hull KR
1984–85 League Cup Final: Hull KR 12–0 Hull F.C.

Played – 9

Hull KR wins – 5

Hull FC wins – 4

Hull KR points – 76

Hull FC points – 89

Collective honours

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
colspan="2"\|Hull F.C. !rowspan="2"\|Honour !colspan="2"\|Hull KR
Rank !No. !No. !Rank
5th \|6 \|League \|5 \|9th
7th \|5 \|Challenge Cup \|2 \|20th
7th \|1 \|Premiership \|2 \|4th
6th \|1 \|League Cup \|1 \|6th
{{N/A}} \|0 \|Charity Shield \|0 \|{{N/A}}
{{N/A}} \|0 \|World Club Challenge \|0 \|{{N/A}}
5th \|4 \|Yorkshire League \|2 \|8th
6th \|5 \|Yorkshire Cup \|7 \|5th
5th \|1 \|BBC2 Floodlit Trophy \|1 \|5th

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

colspan="2"|Hull F.C.

!rowspan="2"|Honour

!colspan="2"|Hull KR

Rank

!No.

!Rank

5th

|League

|9th

7th

|Challenge Cup