Let battle resume in fight for Super League places
WHILE Widnes will understandably be fully concentrating on their Betfred Super League Qualifiers game at Toulouse Olympique this weekend, the competition will be hotting up elsewhere.
Leeds Rhinos will be hoping to keep their 100 per cent record in the Qualifiers intact when they play host to Hull Kingston Rovers on Saturday afternoon.
It will be Kevin Sinfield’s team’s first outing against Super League opposition having seen off Toulouse and London Broncos in the first two rounds.
Such is the volatile nature of the minileague, while a third victory will give the Rhinos plenty of confidence moving forward, a defeat would remind them there’s still lots of work to do to secure their top flight status.
For their part, Rovers will have felt a huge sense of relief last weekend when they won at Toronto Wolfpack having been stunned at home by Salford Red Devils in Round 1.
Leeds will be looking for a hat-trick of victories over Tim Sheens’ men having done the double in the regular season.
Toronto will be looking to give their promotion chances a boost when they take on London Broncos at the Lamport Stadium on Saturday.
The Wolfpack will have been banking on winning their home fixtures but were beaten 28-22 last weekend.
They will view the visit of the Broncos as a must-win game while Danny Ward’s London side can keep themselves well in the hunt for promotion if they can come up with the points after last week’s home loss to Leeds.
Sunday afternoon gives Salford the opportunity of taking another giant stride towards Super League safety when they visit Halifax.
The Red Devils have already taken the scalps of fellow top flight outfits Hull KR and Widnes and they will be hot favourites for a third win over the Championship outsiders. ● This week’s Qualifiers fixtures: Leeds Rhinos v Hull KR (Saturday 3.15pm, live Sky Sports Arena); Toulouse Olympique v Widnes Vikings (Saturday 5pm); Toronto Wolfpack v London Broncos (Sat 5.30pm, live Sky Sports Arena); Halifax v Salford Red Devils (Sunday 3pm).