Leeds Rhinos continued their incredible form as they defeated Super League holders Hull KR in front of a huge crowd at Headingley.
Brad Arthur’s side won 34-8 to move two points clear atop Super League as their points difference also soared past the plus 300 mark, almost 80 of that advantage having come in two games against Hull KR, showcasing their dominance in this fixture this year.
Each side’s respect for one another was shown early on as they traded penalties with Leeds just 4-2 up at the half-hour mark but Chris Hankinson’s try turned the tide with Maika Sivo also scoring before the half to make it 18-2.
Sivo was soon in again before Hull KR hit back through Noah Booth but any hopes of a comeback were cut short as Jake Connor scored his first try of the season, capitalising on a Rovers error to make it 30-8 just before the hour mark.
Ash Handley then crossed over for what was his 500th Super League point as he scored his 138th try for Leeds Rhinos to cap off a dominant win that saw Leeds go two clear atop the table.
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Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR talking points
Ninth title pending?
It’s been nine long years since Leeds Rhinos won the Super League Grand Final but their hunt for title number nine could well end this year, with this being the latest performance to truly highlight their credentials.
The game was tight early on and Leeds could have been dragged into the scrap but they remained disciplined, safe in the knowledge that they would eventually break through and when that happened, there was no catching them.
Hull KR did have excuses such as no Jez Litten and the early loss of Dean Hadley but Leeds allowed them nothing at all in what was the latest of several very strong performances.
Hull KR head clash creates chaos
Just five minutes into the game, Hull KR saw teammates Dean Hadley and Tom Amone take each other out as they clashed heads in a tackle with the domino effect being that the Robins’ interchanges got incredibly out of sync.
Hadley would go on to fail his HIA meaning that he is ruled out for Magic Weekend next week against Hull FC but thankfully, Amone was able to return, albeit bloodied and bruised.
Short of losing Hadley for Magic Weekend, Hull KR also lost the interchange battle as Tevita Pangai Jr was thrown on far earlier than expected. With the forward still looking to hit full match fitness, it meant Hull KR got out of sync on their interchanges and against a forward pack like Leeds, in heat like tonight, the writing was on the wall from the off.
Gamechanging moment
Both sides traded penalties early on but the first try didn’t come until just after the half hour mark as Chris Hankinson got on the end of a Jake Connor grubber to score.
Just 60 seconds before, Hull KR had been given a huge leg up as they had a penalty inside their 40 with Mikey Lewis tasked to kick the ball to touch and march them up the field.
Unfortunately for Rovers, Lewis failed to make touch as Jake Connor batted the ball back in and took the Rhinos down the field for the game’s opening try, from which Hull KR would never recover with Maika Sivo scoring the Rhinos’ second just five minutes later.
Heated affair as disciplinary issues arise
It was a sweltering night at Headingley but it was a heated rivalry as well from the get go with the first penalty going against Mikolaj Oledzki as he pulled back Mikey Lewis off the ball and was potentially lucky to avoid a sin bin.
Just two minutes later, Tevita Pangai Jr was even luckier to avoid a sin bin as the big prop had his hand all over Jake Connor’s face as the Rhinos man lay on the ground having intercepted Pangai Jr’s offload.
Referee Chris Kendall put the incident on report but opted against a yellow card, warning the Australian: ‘You’re on very, very thin ice’, whilst also chastising him for standing over the prone Connor.
James McDonnell then did similar on Mikey Lewis but with the stall set by Kendall, no action could be taken as the atmosphere continued to intensify inside the first 15 minutes.
Stunning tribute
The game had been designated as Leeds’ annual MND Awareness game, paying tribute to their beloved Rob Burrow whilst also showing support to South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Jai Arrow, who has also recently been diagnosed with the disease.
Pre-match saw a huge banner unveiled on the pitch and tifos in the stands picturing Burrow and Kevin Sinfield bearing Burrow’s iconic quote: “In a world full of adversity, we must still dare to dream.”
Macy, Maya and Jackson Burrow then delivered the match ball as Leeds continue to prove that they nail it off the pitch in terms of respecting their club legend.
Sivo again
It’s a chant that they’re getting used to at Headingley and it was sung loud and proud tonight as Maika Sivo crossed over in the first half to record a try in his ninth straight Super League game, equalling the club record set by Paul Sterling in 1997.
He’d add another in the second half taking his season tally to 27 as he sets about chasing down Denny Solomona for the Super League season record. What’s even more impressive is that the tally of 26 takes Sivo past last year’s top try-scorer Lewis Martin, who scored 25 across 27 games.
.@LeedsRhinos go into Magic WKND two points clear at the top of the @Betfred #SuperLeague table 👀 pic.twitter.com/la1tTfdf6L
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) June 26, 2026
