Due to the travel restrictions around COVID, Magic Weekend (Round 23) was a homebased viewing for the first time since 2011 as was Round 24.
Tigers Triumph Over Red Devils
Magic Weekend opened with Castleford Tigers overcoming Salford Red Devils in a 29-18 victory at St James' Park. The Tigers struck first with Paul McShane crossing inside ten minutes and Peter Matautia converting for a 6-0 lead that was matched six minutes later by a Ken Sio try and Krisnan Inu conversion for 6-6. The sides exchanged scores for a second time with Dan Smith (Matautia conv) touching down ahead of Joe Burgess (Inu conv) for 12-12. Castleford regained the lead with an Oli Holmes try for a lead of 16-12 that lasted into the interval.
Castleford extended their lead on 50 minutes with a Jordan Turner try which Matautia converted for 22-12 before Ata Higano (Inu conv) crossed to give Salford hope at 22-18 but to no avail as a self-converted score from Matautia was followed by a Turner drop goal to put the gloss on the 29-18 victory.
Dragons Deny Saints To Seal LLS
Catalans Dragons created history by becoming the first non-UK club to win the League Leaders Shield as their narrow 31-30 win over St Helens meant the they could no longer be caught at the top. The Dragons wasted no time in opening the scoring with Sam Tomkins crossing inside three minutes with James Maloney converting for a 6-0 lead. Saints cut the gap with a Tommy Makinson effort before opening up a 10-6 lead with a self-converted try from Lachlan Coote who then made it 12-6 on 37 minutes with a penalty goal. Saints ensured a half-time lead as Sione Matautia for an 18-6 advantage.
Matautia doubled his tally within nine minutes of the restart with a try which Coote improved for 24-6 before the Dragons cut the gap to 24-12 with a Julian Bousquet effort and Maloney conversion. Saints resumed control with a Morgan Knowles try which Coote converted for 30-12 and with ten minutes remaining it was surely game over. Catalans had other ideas as they staged a truly epic comeback as Dean Whare, Gil Dudson and Sam Kasiano all crossed for tries in the final four minutes and with Maloney converting the lot for the sides went into Golden Point Extra time locked at 30-30. Both sides had chances with Makinson and Coote missing for Saints before Maloney swept over the winning drop goal to seal the LLS and the 31-30 win.
Rhinos Edge Past Hull FC
Leeds Rhinos kept up their play-off hopes with a narrow 25-24 win over Hull FC. The Rhinos raced into an 8-0 lead with a self-converted try from Rhyse Martin who added a penalty goal three minutes later. Hull levelled with a Danny Houghton try which Marc Sneyd converted and added a penalty to five minutes later for 8-8. FC went ahead with a Carlos Tuimavave effort which Sneyd converted for 14-8 but the exchanging continued with Harry Newman crossing and Martin converting for 14-14. FC edged ahead with another Sneyd penalty which which ensured they led 16-14 into the interval.
Sneyd extended the led further with a penalty before converting a Jake Connor effort for 24-14. Leeds mounted a comeback as Kruise Leeming and Jack Broadbent both crossed for tries which saw Martin converting only the latter meaning the sides would go into Golden Point Extra Time locked at 24-24. Leeds completed the comeback with a superb drop goal from Leeming who wrapped up the 25-24 success.
Wakefield Win Against Gutted Giants
Wakefield Trinity continued their good form with a comfortable 32-18 win over Huddersfield Giants in Sunday's opener. Hudds struck first with a self-converted score from Will Pryce for a 6-0 lead that was soon toppled as Tom Johnstone and Ryan Hampshire both crossed for Trinity with Mason Lino converting for 12-6. The lead remained at a single score until just before the interval as Lino added a penalty goal for 14-6 into half-time.
Trinity extended the lead to 20-6 within six minutes of the restart with a Kelepi Tanginoa try which Lino converted before Hudds cut the gap to 20-12 with a Kyle Wood try which Pryce converted. Wakefield regained a three-score lead as Reece Lyne touched down and Lino kicked for 26-12 before both sides score late on, Hudds through Josh Jones (Pryce conv) for 26-18 and Chris Green (Lino conv) which sealed the 32-18 win.
Wolves Win Against Warriors
Warrington Wolves cemented their play-off spot with a narrow 10-6 win over Wigan Warriors. A perfect start for the Wolves saw them strike inside the opening minute through Josh Thewlis who's try made it 4-0. Ex-Warrior George Williams came back to haunt his former side as he crossed for a try on 28 minutes which Stefan Ratchford converted for a 10-0 lead. Wigan avoided a first half nilling as Ethan Havard dived over in the final seconds with Harry Smith converting for 10-6 into the interval.
The sides both pushed for more in the second half but with no success as the 10-6 score-line remained until the end as Warrington claimed the win.
Robins Rout Centurions
Hull KR edged closer to securing a play-off spot with a comfortable 44-6 victory over Leigh Centurions. A tight first quarter saw the sides remain level before Matty Russell crossed to put Leigh ahead with Ryan Brierley converting for a 6-0 lead. KR cut the gap to 6-4 with Ben Crooks touching down before Albert Vete crossed for a try which Joe Keyes converted to put the Robins 10-6 ahead into the interval.
Tries from Brad Takairangi and Matt Parcell saw Keyes improve both for a 22-6 advantage within seven minutes of the restart ahead of scores from Ryan Hall and Jimmy Keinhorst both touched down either side of the hour mark with Keyes converting only the latter for 32-6. The gloss on the win came late on as Matty Storton (Keyes conv) crossed ahead of a self-completed effort from Keyes to round off the 44-6 victory.
Saints Stroll Past Luckless Leeds
St Helens bounced back from the aching Magic defeat to ease to a 40-6 win over Leeds Rhinos at the Totally Wicked Stadium. St Helens raced into a 16-0 lead inside the opening quarter with scores from Regan Grace, Jack Welsby and Morgan Knowles with Lachlan Coote converting twice. The control continued as Tommy Makinson and Alex Walmsley both went over with Coote adding conversions for a huge 28-0 lead. Leeds avoided a first half blank with a Brad Dwyer try which Rhyse Martin converted for 28-6 into the interval.
The second half proved to be a quieter affair with Sione Matautia crossing within six minutes of the restart and Coote converting for 34-6 before a second try of the evening from Knowles which Coote improved to round off the 40-6 rout.
Warriors Bounce Back Against FC
Wigan Warriors returned to winning ways with a 10-0 win against Hull FC at the MKM Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A scoreless first half dominated by mixed defence and many errors from both sides burst into life in the second half with a Jake Bibby try to put the Warriors 4-0 ahead on 52 minutes. Wigan extended the lead further with a self-converted effort from Zak Hardaker for a 10-0 advantage that proved to be enough to secure the win.
Salford Stung By Last Gasp Wolves
Warrington Wolves wrapped up a top four spot with a narrow 20-19 win over Salford Red Devils at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. Salford struck first with Ken Sio crossing inside nine minutes for a try which Morgan Escaré converted for a 6-0 advantage that was soon levelled by Matty Ashton's score and Gareth Widdop's conversion for 6-6. Warrington went ahead with tries from Matty Davis and Josh Charnley with Widdop converting once for 16-6 but the gap became a single score at the interval as Sio crossed for a second time with Escaré kicking for 16-12.
Salford levelled on the hour with Tui Lolohea's try and then went ahead as Krisnan Inu converted for 18-16. Widdop drew the Wolves level at 18-18 before a drop goal-a-thon saw George Williams kick for 19-18 and Lolohea level for Salford at 19-19 to force Golden Point Extra Time. The final success with the boot came from Williams as he swept over a drop goal in the 82nd minute to seal a 20-19 win.
Dragons Delight Dented By Giants
Huddersfield Giants spoiled the party for Catalans Dragons' League Leaders Shield lifting with a 30-18 win at Stade Gilbert Brutus. The Dragons raced into an 18-0 lead with a Matt Whitley brace either side of a Mathieu Laguerre score with James Maloney converting the lot. Hudds hit back twice before the interval as Josh Jones and Lewis Senior both crossed and Oliver Russell converted both for 18-12 into half-time.
The second half belonged to the Giants as they levelled with Jack Cogger's try which Russell improved for 18-18 before scores either side of the hour from Oli Ashall-Bott and Matty English saw Russell continue his kicking perfection with a fifth success to complete the comeback and 30-18 win.
Rallying Robins Topple Tigers
Hull KR edged closer to a play-off spot with a 26-19 success over Castleford Tigers at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle. Rovers struck first with a Mikey Lewis try and Jordan Abdull conversion for 6-0 before Oli Holmes crossed for Cas with Danny Richardson kicking to level at 6-6. The sides exchanged scores is a different way as Derrell Olpherts went over for the Tigers with Richardson kicking them ahead at 12-6 before Lewis claimed his second try which Abdull improved for 12-12. The Tigers did lead at the interval though after Richardson swept over a drop goal for 13-12.
Cas extended the lead within three minutes of the restart as Niall Evalds crossed and Richardson converted for 19-12 but the Robins rallied back with a self-converted try from Matt Parcell and Luis Johnson score which saw Abdull convert for 24-19 before confirming the win with a late penalty goal for 26-19.
Centurions Celebrate Against Trinity
The round ended with a surprise result as Leigh Centurions claimed a 26-18 win over Wakefield Trinity at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday. The hosts opened the scoring with Adam Sidlow crossing and Ryan Brierley converting for 6-0 before Brierley himself crossed for 10-0. Wakefield hit back with a trio of tries before the interval as Reece Lyne, Kelepi Tanginoa and David Fifita went over with Mason Lino converting the lot for an 18-10 lead at half-time.
Leigh cut the gap to 18-16 within a minute of the restart as Brierley claimed his second try and converted before racing in for a hat-trick which he converted for a 22-18 lead. The win was sealed for the hosts as Sam Stone went in for a try on 67 minutes or 26-18 to send the LSV faithful wild.
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