Leeds overwhelmed Hull KR 34-8, with Jake Connor contributing 18 points, while York secured a 20-14 victory over Castleford thanks to three second-half tries.
Last Updated: 26/06/26 11:14pm
Jake Connor played a pivotal role in Leeds’ commanding win over Hull KR
Leeds reinforced their lead at the top of the Betfred Super League after another dominant victory over defending champions Hull KR at Headingley.
Just days after a comparable triumph over title rivals Warrington, Brad Arthur’s side turned up the intensity to defeat the Robins 34-8, with Jake Connor contributing 18 points.
Combined with another brace from Maika Sivo, the performance sent a clear message of intent, building on the hosts’ 58-6 rout of the same opponent in Las Vegas back in February.
The match, played before Leeds’ largest Super League crowd in six years, carried added significance as tributes were paid to Rob Burrow, the Rhinos’ last Grand Final winner, ahead of kickoff as part of the club’s MND Awareness Fixture.
“We spoke earlier in the week about being brave for Rob and his family, and I thought we were extremely brave tonight,” said Arthur.
“We imposed our will in the collisions; they pressed hard, we absorbed the pressure and pushed through. Although we made a few mistakes, it keeps us entertaining and tough to defend against.”
“I still see room for improvement, but we can be pleased with the effort. We dug in, made tough decisions about our work rate and physicality, and it was vital to honor Rob and his family, who exemplify bravery.”
Hull KR trailed for much of a disjointed first half, but an uncharacteristic mistake by Mikey Lewis just after the half‑hour shifted momentum decisively toward Leeds.
Lewis’ touch‑kick fell short, but Connor acrobatically kept the ball alive and soon afterward delivered a precise kick‑through that set up Chris Hankinson’s opening try.
Prior to that point, Hull KR had battled through adversity that began in the opening six minutes, when forwards Dean Hadley and Tom Amone left the field for head‑injury assessments after a clash.
Amone later returned to alleviate pressure on the Hull KR line, while former Rhino Rhyse Martin offset Connor’s early penalty as referee Chris Kendall struggled to keep tempers in check.
Sivo was thwarted from scoring his trademark corner try by a superb save from Tevita Pangai Junior, and shortly afterward Martin halted James McDonnell as Hull KR’s defence endured repeated waves of attack.
Connor’s second kick put Leeds ahead again and sparked a strong finish to the half, with Sivo capitalizing on a deflected pass from Connor that fell into his hands to extend the lead.
The try marked Sivo’s ninth straight Super League appearance with a try, equalling the club record, and lifted his season tally to 26—already surpassing Hull FC’s Lewis Martin’s 25 from last year.
Hull KR’s woes deepened as Connor pushed his first‑half points into double figures, and Martin was sin‑billed just before halftime for obstructing the ruck.
Hull KR remained under pressure at the start of the second half, and moments after Danny Levi was denied a potential try by the narrowest margin, Sivo slipped inside Peta Hiku to score his second.
Hull KR displayed brief resistance when Noah Booth touched down in the corner, but Connor sealed another outstanding individual effort by crossing for Leeds’ fourth try shortly before the hour, after the defence committed fully anticipating a Sivo hat‑trick.
Connor limped off after assisting Ash Handley on Leeds’ fifth try, but the side had already secured its fifth consecutive Super League victory.
York rally to win at Castleford with three second-half tries
Oli Field celebrates as York clinched a comeback victory over Castleford
York rallied with three second-half tries to secure a 20-14 win over Castleford.
Castleford opened the scoring when Semi Valemei touched down in the corner, but York took the lead at OneBore Stadium after Cody Hunter powered over from close range for a converted try.
Before halftime, Castleford stretched their lead to 10-6 as Jason Qareqare, who had earlier endured a crushing tackle from sin‑binned Sam Wood, went over wide, with Tom Weaver adding the conversion.
After the interval, York increased their pressure, with Oli Field touching down to level the scores and David Nofoaluma barging over for another try shortly afterward.
York grabbed the lead when Scott Galeano pounced on a loose ball after Qareqare misjudged a high kick.
Valemei kept Castleford’s hopes alive by gathering a difficult bounce and scoring his second, with Hunter converting again, but Qareqare’s late corner effort was disallowed.
Qareqare earned a penalty for a high tackle after losing the ball while diving for the line, but it proved insufficient to stave off Castleford’s defeat.
Super League 2026 – upcoming key dates
- Magic Weekend: July 4-July 5
- Rivals Round reversed: July 23-July 26
- Elimination Play-offs: September 19-September 20
- Play-off semi-finals: September 26-September 27
- Grand Final: October 3
Sky Sports will show every game of the Super League live this season, including two matches each round exclusively live. The remaining five matches will be broadcast on Sky Sports+