HULL KR centre Kris Welham says the Robins must produce their best derby display of the season to beat Hull FC on Saturday.

Already billed as the 'do or die derby' – Rovers will go head to head with their city rivals in the first knock-out contest of the Super League era.

But having lost both league matches against the old enemy this campaign, Welham admits that KR will need to sharpen up their defensive display if they are to progress.

"We know we can score tries but it's stopping them that's the key," the 24-year-old told the Mail.

"If we keep them out we'll go a long way towards winning the game."

Being a Hull born player himself, Saturday's play-off will be one of – of not the biggest – game of his career so far.

And having missed the last clash between the two sides, which Hull FC edged 20-16 thanks to Tom Briscoe's last minute tackle on Peter Fox, Welham is expecting another nail-biting encounter.

"I was there in the KC wanting to be out on the pitch," he said.

"Everyone will be up for this game.

"We need to play a lot better than we have done against them this season.

"Defensively we need to be really strong.

"Now the regular season is over, everyone is focussed on the play-offs. This is it.

"If you don't want to be here you might as well stay at home.

"If you lose, your season is over and it's a long wait for the first game of next year."

Having missed the previous six KR games with a shoulder injury that required surgery, Welham made a try-scoring return to action on Saturday, as KR lost 30-24 at the Crusaders.

And although he says having that game under his belt was hugely important, he knows it will be a much more demanding challenge at the KC Stadium – and that KR have to show a major improvement having lost their final two league games.

"I'm pleased to have a game under my belt before the play-offs," he said.

"It was massively important for me to get that game in, but play-offs are completely different to the regular season," he said.

"It's a lot faster and tougher too.

"We just weren't there at the weekend and Crusaders played better rugby than us.

"I don't know if we had one eye on the play-offs because we knew Crusaders would be a massive game. It was already a play-off game for them.

"Our forwards were not as dominant as they had been in recent weeks.

"But we win as a team and you lose as a team."