A hugely delayed catch-up on the Rugby League front begins with Super League Rounds 21 and 22.
Rhinos Rout Woeful Warriors
Wednesday's opener saw history made at the DW Stadium as Leeds Rhinos became the first side to hand a home nilling to Wigan Warriors with a 14-0 victory.
After a quiet first quarter, the Rhinos suffered a blow with Zane Tetevano sent to the sinbin before he was joined by team-mate Luke Briscoe on the half-hour mark but the Warriors failed to utilise the two player advantage. Leeds opened the scoring on 37 minutes as Brad Dwyer crossed and Rhyse Martin converted for 6-0 half-time lead.
Richie Myler extended the lead with a try on 46 minutes which Martin converted for 12-0 before scoring the final points of the evening with a penalty four minutes later for 14-0. Wigan pushed to try and reduce the deficit but with no luck as they suffered a first ever home nilling since moving to the DW Stadium.
Dragons Defeat Struggling Salford
Thursday night saw Catalans Dragons extend their stay at the top with a comfortable 42-14 win over Salford Red Devils at the AJ Bell Stadium. A superb start from the Dragons saw Ben Jullien cross twice with James Maloney converting the latter for a 10-0 lead. Mickael Goudemand went over for the Dragons with Maloney kicking for a 16-0 lead that was cut to 16-6 before the interval as Harvey Livett crossed for the hosts with Krisnan Inu converting. However, Catalans restored their 16 point advantage in the final seconds of the half with Sam Kasiano crossing and Maloney converting for 22-6 into half-time.
Salford cut the gap to 22-10 with a Dan Sarginson try within three minutes of the restart before a Maloney penalty saw the Dragons lead 24-10. Catalans wrapped up the win either side of the hour mark with efforts from Tom Davies and Joe Chan being converted by Maloney for a huge 36-10 lead. Ex-Dragons back Morgan Escare cut the gap to 34-16 before Samisoni Langi crossed in the final minute with Maloney converting for an seventh time to complete the 42-16 win.
Wolves Win Against Giants
Warrington Wolves continued their good form with a 26-6 win over Huddersfield Giants at the John Smith's Stadium. Ex-Giants back Jake Mamo crossed for a brace which Stefan Ratchford converted for 12-0 before he added a penalty goal for 14-0 into the interval
The Wolves wrapped up the win after the hour as Mike Cooper touched down and Ratchford kicked for 20-0 before Jake Wardle ended any worries of a nilling with a try which Oliver Russell converted for 26-6. The final saw went to the Wolves as Toby King crossed and Ratchford ended the evening with five successes with the boot to complete the 26-6 win.
Tigers Triumph Halts Hull FC
Castleford Tigers extended their play-off hopes with a 23-12 win over Hull FC at the MKM Stadium. Cas raced out of the blocks with Jordan Turner crossing inside four minutes with Danny Richardson converting for 6-0 before FC levelled with an Adam Swift try and Marc Sneyd conversion for 6-6. Richardson kicked a drop goal on the half hour mark to give the Tigers a narrow 7-6 lead who went into the interval comfortable as Turner claimed his brace with Richardson kicking for 13-6.
Richardson increased the lead twice more before the hour with a penalty goal on 56 minutes and try three minutes later for 18-6. FC ended the Tigers' scoring spree with a Jake Connor effort and Sneyd conversion to give them hope at 19-12 but the visitors were to be the victors as Niall Evalds crossed five minutes from the end to confirm a 23-12 success.
Trinity Topple Rueful Robins
Wakefield Trinity returned to winning ways with a 25-18 success over Hull Kingston Rovers at Hull College Craven Park. The Robins made a rapid start with Luis Johnson and George Lawler both crossing for early tries with Ben Crooks converting once for 10-0. Wakefield replied though Jacob Miller and Ryan Hampshire with Mason Lino converting twice for a 12-10 advantage into the interval.
The sides were level at 12-12 on 48 minutes after a Crooks penalty goal but the visitors were soon 24-12 ahead after quick scores from Innes Senior and Jay Pitts with Mason Lino converting both. The Robins cut the gap with a self-converted score from Crooks for 24-18 but any late hopes were dashed by Miller's drop goal which wrapped up the 25-18 win.
Saints Stroll As Centurions Crushed
The final game of the round saw St Helens continued their challenge for top spot with a comfortable 42-12 win over Leigh Centurions at the Totally Wicked Stadium. A rapid start from the hosts saw Regan Grace cross inside four minutes with Lachlan Coote converting for a 6-0 lead. Coote added a penalty for 8-0 before Leigh hit back through Matty Gee's effort which Ryan Brierley converted for 8-6. Jack Welsby crossed on 37 minutes to regain a two-score lead for Saints of 12-6 into the interval.
Welsby doubled his tally within seven minutes of the restart with Coote converting for 18-6 but Leigh cut the gap for a second time as Adam Sidlow touched down and Brierley kicked for 18-12. However, Saints soon took control with Sione Matau'tia crossing with Coote converting ahead of a self-converted try for a huge 30-12 lead. The points were wrapped up by two late scores for the hosts as Joe Batchelor and Lewis Dodd both went over with Coote reaching seven successes with the boot in the 42-12 victory.
Salford Stun Hull FC
Salford Red Devils bounced back from Thursday's loss to open Round 22 with a 42-14 victory over Hull FC at the AJ Bell Stadium. FC struck first with Ligi Sao crossing inside four minutes with Marc Sneyd converting for 6-0. Salford drew level with a Ken Sio try and Krisnan Inu conversion for 6-6 before going 8-6 behind after a Sneyd penalty goal. Another Sio score saw Inu convert for a 12-8 lead which lasted into the interval.
FC regained the lead on 49 minutes with Danny Houghton crossing and Sneyd kicking for 14-12 but the lead changed hands again before the interval as Chris Atkin touched down with Inu converting for 18-14 before the hosts took full control with Harvey Livett and Joe Burgess crossing ahead of Sio sealing his hat-trick and crossing for a fourth score as Inu converted the lot for a huge 42-14 success.
Wakefield Win Over Rallying Rhinos
Wakefield Trinity extended their good form with a 20-13 win over Leeds Rhinos at the Mobile Rocket Stadium. Leeds opened the scoring with a Kruise Leeming try which Rhyse Martin converted for 6-0 but Wakefield hit back through Kelepi Tanginoa who crossed and Mason Lino converted for 6-6. The Rhinos opened up a 12-6 lead as Brad Dwyer crossed just before the interval with Martin converting.
Wakefield levelled at 12-12 with a Jordan Crowther effort which Lino improved before Jacob Miller edged Trinity ahead at 13-12 with a drop goal which saw Rob Lui bring Leeds level with a drop goal of his own for 13-13.Ryan Hanpshire restored the lead for Trinity with a drop goal for 14-13 before Joe Arundel wrapped up the win late on with a try which Lino converted for a 20-13 win.
Wondrous Warriors Trounce Tigers
Wigan Warriors bounced back from their recent nilling to inflict a shut-out on Castleford Tigers with a 22-0 win at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle. A tight first half saw just a single score as Jackson Hastings crossed for the sole try of the half with Harry Smith converting for 6-0 into the interval.
The visitors extended the lead on the hour mark as Liam Marshall touched down with Smith kicking for 12-0 and they were three scores clear on 68 minutes after Oliver Gildart's effort made it 18-0. A huge win on the road was confirmed for the Warriors late on as Brad Singleton crossed with Hastings on kicking duties to convert for the 22-0 victory.
Leigh Lose Out To Dominant Dragons
Catalans Dragons edged closer to wrapping up top spot as they cruised to a 64-0 over Leigh Centurions in a battle between top and bottom of the table. The Dragons flew out of the blocks with Mike McMeeken crossing twice either side of a Fouad Yaha score inside the opening ten minutes with James Maloney converting the lot for 18-0. Maloney scored a self-converted try for 24-0 before Yaha and McMeeken both wrapped up their hat-tricks with Maloney converting twice for a huge 40-0 half-time advantage.
The second half began with a spell on the scoreboard for the Tomkins brothers with Joel going over ahead of a brace from Sam with a trio of conversions from Maloney seeing the hosts surpass the half century at 58-0. The gloss on a huge win came five minutes from the end as Tom Davies dived over and Maloney reached a haul of 24 points with his 10th conversion for 64-0.
Giants Glory In Hindering Hull KR Hopes
Huddersfield Giants bounced back from Thursday's loss with a comfortable 40-28 win over Hull Kingston Rovers at the John Smith's Stadium. The Robins struck first through Mikey Lewis for 4-0 before Oliver Russell crossed to draw Hudds level at 4-4. Josh Jones touched down to give the hosts the lead with Will Pryce converting for 10-4. Kane Linnett cut the gap for KR to 10-8 before scores from Rickey Leutele and Sam Wood were improved by Pryce for a 22-8 lead that became 22-12 into the interval after a late try from Greg Minikin.
The Robins cut the gap further to 22-16 as Ryan Hall crossed within seven minutes of the restart before a self-converted try from Pryce was followed by a Joe Greenwood try (Pryce conv) for 34-16. KR hit back with a second score from Linnett which Rowan Milnes converted for 34-22 before Hudds confirmed the win with a try for Nathaniel Peteru with Pryce kicking for 40-22. The final say went to the visitors though as Matt Parcell touched down and Milnes converted for a 40-28 final score.
Saints Streak Continues With Wolves Win
St Helens kept up their hopes of claiming top spot with a 24-14 victory over Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. Saints opened up a 10-0 lead with scores from Kevin Naiqama and Lewis Dodd with Lachlan Coote converting the latter. Warrington staged a superb comeback with three scores in six minutes before half-time as Ben Currie and George Williams crossed and Stefan Ratchford converted twice before adding a penalty goal for 14-10 into the interval.
Saints mounted their own comeback in the second half as Mark Percival and James Bentley both touched down with Lachlan Coote converting both efforts for 22-14 and he rounded off the win with a penalty goal late on for 24-14.