Hull KR sign St Helens hooker Aaron Smith on loan

Hull Kingston Rovers have signed promising hooker Aaron Smith on a one-month loan deal from St Helens.

Rovers have signed the 21-year-old for additional cover at dummy-half. He is a member of the first team squad at league leaders St Helens.

Smith has spent the past five weeks on loan at League 1 side York City Knights, where he caught the eye of Hull KR coach Tim Sheens.

Sheens is a keen admirer of the former England Academy star.

He said: “We’re thankful to St Helens for allowing Aaron to come across to us.

“He’s a bright young player with good speed and awareness out of dummy-half who gives us specialist cover in that position until Shaun Lunt is available.

“Aaron was brought to our attention whilst playing for York with some strong performances and positive feedback from the coaching staff there, as well as some of our own players who played alongside him.

“It’s a good sign for the system and our partnership with York that Aaron was struggling to get game time at the start of the season given the depth in the St Helens squad, but he’s gone to the Knights, worked hard and now got an opportunity to show what he can do in Super League.

“Aaron trained with us for the first time today and we’ll monitor how he settles in over the rest of the week before deciding whether he’ll go into the side to face Wakefield on Sunday.”

Smith could make his Rovers debut when they travel to the Mobile Rocket Stadium to face Wakefield Trinity on Sunday, 3pm kick-off.