On paper the game of the round was the Sunday afternoon
meeting at Craven Park between champions elect Hull Kingston Rovers and one of
the form sides of recent weeks, the Leeds Rhinos with both sides desperate for
the points and promising a blockbuster of a game.
The bookies made the home side clear favourites for the win
by handicapping them by ten points on the coupon as they looked to repeat their
round nine victory in Super Lague 2025, the Rhinos seeking their first win over
the robins since August 2022.
It was a mouthwatering prospect for neutrals, and fans of
both sides.
KR blew an early chance on two minutes after breaking from deep
within their own half, the last pass on the Leeds twenty, with players queuing
up to score, going well forward. The Rhinos returned the ball on the next six
and Alfie Edgell was stopped just short of the line KR. The game was living up
to expectations.
On ten the home side did hit the front, former Leeds darling
Rhyse Martin sliding over the line after Jake Connor had been penalised for a
forward pass, Martin exploiting a big gap in the Leeds defence. Arthur Mourgue
added the conversion for a 6-0 lead.
A high tackle on Mikey Lewis from Harry Newman, detected
under a captain’s challenge, gave Mourgue another two points with a twenty-metre
penalty.
Tom Davies had a spectacular diving try ruled out on
thirty-five, the Mourgue final pass being judged to be forward.
It was still close at the interval, but only thanks to some
lax passing by Hull KR who should have been much further ahead.
Mikey Lewis failed a Head Impact Assessment at half time, KR
without their talisman in the second forty.
Following a high tackle, the Rhinos finally broke the KR
line, Sam Lisone taking a Cameron Smith pass and charging down the centre of
the field, busting through two defenders and going in for the four points. Jake
Connor added the conversion, Leeds back within two of the hosts.
Jared Warea-Hargreaves opened his mouth when he shouldn’t
and referee Kendall punished him with a penalty fifteen out from his own
sticks. Connor kicked the penalty for 8-8, Leeds with the momentum.
On the hour mark Joe Burgess lost the ball as he tried to
play it inside his own ten and on the next set the Rhinos forced a goal line
drop out, but Leeds couldn’t take the lead.
The Rhinos scored a sensational try on sixty-seven to take
the lead. Half a dozen offloads and attack at pace started by Alfie Edgell and
ended by Ash Handley releasing Miller to sprint under the sticks, a broken Hull
KR defence in his wake. Connor added the conversion for a six-point lead.
Brodie Croft missed a seventy-seventh minute drop goal when
it would have been easier to score it under no pressure and only fifteen out
from the posts.
A game of two halves, Hull KR great in the first half but
who should have had more points at the break, the Rhinos little short of
sensational in the second to take the win and take the points to inflict the Robins
second loss of the season. A brilliant half time talk from Brad Arthur set the platform
for his side and they executed their game plan to dominate the second forty.
The Rhinos are back into third spot, and now just two points behind the Wigan
Warriors in second. KR fluff the chance to go six clear at the top.
Hull KR: Mourgue (G 2/2), Davies, Hiku, Broadbent, Burgess,
Lewis, May, Sue, McIlorum, Hadley, Whitbread, Martin (T), Minchella. Subs: Litten, Warea-Hargreaves, Luckley,
Tanginoa. 18th Man: Brown.
Leeds Rhinos: Miller (T), Hall, Newman, Handley, Edgell,
Connor (G 3/3), Croft, Jenkins, O’Connor, Oledzki, McDonnell, Watkins, Palasia.
Subs: Holroyd, Lisone (T), Bentley, Smith. 18th Man: Sinfield.
Half-Time: 8-0.
Full Time: 8-14.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 8-0 : HT: 8-4, 8-6, 8-8, 8-12, 8-14 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: KR – Square - Leeds.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
