Leigh Leopards secured a 20-16 victory over Betfred Super League leaders Leeds Rhinos at Headingley, marking the Rhinos‘ first home defeat of the season. Innes Senior scored two tries for Leigh, contributing to an upset win in challenging conditions.
The match saw Ryan Hall open the scoring for Leeds in the second minute after receiving a pass from Jake Connor. However, Leigh responded quickly with a try from Josh Charnley following a line break by Umyla Hanley. Connor then kicked a penalty to give Leeds an 8-6 lead.
Senior scored his first try for Leigh, which was confirmed by the video referee despite a tackle from Leeds full-back Lachlan Miller, putting Leigh 10-8 ahead. Leeds regained the lead when Brodie Croft scored a converted try, making it 14-10. Before half-time, Senior scored his second try, levelling the scores at 14-14.
Early in the second half, Connor kicked another penalty, giving Leeds a two-point advantage. However, Leigh responded again with Hanley scoring their fourth try of the match, with Cook adding the conversion to put them ahead 20-16. Leigh played with 12 men for a period after Andy Badrock was sin-binned for a tackle on Harry Newman with 17 minutes remaining.
Leeds pressed for an equaliser in the closing minutes, and Ryan Hall appeared to have scored a late try. However, the video referee ruled that Hall‘s foot was in touch as he grounded the ball, disallowing the score and allowing Leigh to hold on for the victory.
Squad Updates and Key Milestones
Ahead of the match, Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur named his 21-man squad. Ryan Hall made his return from injury, having not played since the Magic Weekend win against Bradford Bulls. The Rhinos were without Alfie Edgell due to a quad injury, while Ned McCormack was available after completing return-to-play protocols following a head injury.
The game also marked significant career milestones for two Leeds players. Mikolaj Oledzki was set to make his 200th career appearance for the Rhinos across all competitions. Oledzki debuted in April 2017 in a Challenge Cup win against Doncaster, where he scored a try from the bench. Additionally, prop Tom Holroyd was scheduled to make his 100th career appearance for Leeds Rhinos. He made his debut in June 2018 against Catalans Dragons.
Several key players remained sidelined for Leeds due to injury, including Maika Sivo (arm), Keenan Palasia (foot), Max Simpson (knee), Danny Levi (neck), Ben Littlewood (hamstring), and George Brown (knee). James McDonnell was also absent from the match due to a pectoral muscle injury, which impacted the team’s defensive options and left them with a less experienced bench.
Impact on the League Standings
The defeat for Leeds Rhinos means that Wigan Warriors have an opportunity to draw level with them at the top of the table on 36 points when they face Bradford Bulls on Sunday. For Leigh Leopards, the victory strengthens their position in the race for the playoffs, moving them six points clear of St Helens in sixth place. St Helens can still earn a maximum of 10 points from their remaining five games.
In other Super League matches, Warrington Wolves defeated York Knights 30-10, moving them up to third place. Hull KR secured a 28-10 victory over Catalans Dragons, maintaining their push for a home playoff spot. Hull KR are now ahead of Leigh on points difference and are within two points of Warrington and Wakefield in third and fourth positions, respectively.
The Super League 2026 Round 23 schedule also included matches on Friday, August 14, with Hull FC playing Castleford Tigers, and on Saturday, August 15, featuring Wakefield Trinity against St Helens, Bradford Bulls versus Wigan Warriors, and Toulouse Olympique hosting Huddersfield Giants.
The Rhinos‘ reserves team secured their playoff spot with a 66-4 win against Hull FC in their final league game, leading 44-0 at half-time.
The match referee was Chris Kendall from Huddersfield.
Source: skysports.com