After a weekend of runaway victories last week, Round 6 saw three matches decided by two points or less, the first extra-time finish of the season and a major boil-over. Here’s how it all unfolded.
Wolfpack pummelled under Rhino stampede
Leeds continued their winning ways with a 66-12 thumping of Toronto. The Rhinos set up their fourth straight victory off the back of a dominant forward pack, which helped them clock up over 500 more running metres than the Wolfpack.
Halves pairing Robert Lui and Luke Gale did the rest, each crossing for a double and having a hand in a number of others. The pick of the bunch came in the seventh minute when stand-in fullback Richie Myler touched down under the sticks off a sublime flick pass from Gale that would have done Benji Marshall more than proud.
To their credit, the Wolfpack didn’t stop trying to throw the ball around and create chances, but were simply no match for a Rhinos side boasting attacking weapons across the paddock, perhaps best highlighted by second-rower Rhyse Martin, who also managed 11 from 11 with the boot, chipping ahead for winger Ash Handley to touch down on the stroke of half time.
The Rhinos are now firming as a force to be reckoned with after a couple of lean seasons, having won their last four outings by an average score of 44 points to eight.
Hull hold on to squeak a win at Wakefield
Hull very nearly let another hefty lead slip for the second week running, but this time escaped with the chocolates after edging Wakefield in an extra-time thriller 27-26. First-half tries to Mahe Fonua, Jamie Shaul and Kieran Buchanan off the back of some powerful running from Shaul and Josh Griffin put FC in the box seat at the break.
However, there must have been a creeping sense of deja vu for FC fans following last week’s heartbreaking loss to Catalans as their side began fritter away a 20-6 lead on 50 minutes. Trinity responded with four tries in a 25-minute burst, including two freakish finishes in the corner to winger Tom Johnstone, to level the scores at 26 apiece.
Hull scrumhalf Marc Sneyd ensured that there would be no repeat of last week, coolly potting a 30-metre drop goal in extra time to hand Hull a relieving victory, their first since Round 2. Nonetheless Trinity rallied well and can take some consolation at crossing for five tries to their opponents’ four.
Huddersfield bounce back against Saints
Huddersfield showed last week’s hiding to Wigan was a mere aberration as they ground out a 12-10 victory over a wasteful St Helens. Fortune favoured the Giants early on, when Saints winger Tom Makinson spilt an Aidan Sezer bomb into the path of Adam O’Brien to set up an early lead.
(Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
Saints wasted little time in wresting back the advantage, posting two tries in ten minutes. Theo Fages popped up a delivery for Luke Thompson to crash over from close range, before Jonny Lomax deftly grubbered for Morgan Knowles to touch down in the corner.
Saints sat on their lead for the next 40 minutes, as the 2019 champions dominated field position but couldn’t land the knockout blow despite coming close on two occasions. An uncharacteristic 15 handling errors did little to help their cause.
Huddersfield finally made them pay in the 64th minute when Aidan Sezer drew in the defence on the left edge before sending Jack Wardle on a 50-metre sprint to the line. Sezer put the Giants ahead with a difficult conversion, before controlling proceedings in the dying stages to help his side to a major scalp.
Warrington pip Castleford at the death
Warrington scraped home over Castleford 9-8 courtesy of last-minute drop goal to Blake Austin. The only consistent thing about the Wire this season has been their inconsistency and they were desperate to rebound strongly after last week’s shut out at Leeds.
The first half saw few chances as both sides played mostly safety-first football, with Castleford striking first off the boot of Danny Richardson following a string of infringements from the Wolves. Warrington then snatched the ascendency in the 25th minute as they swept the ball left and found Ben Currie, who delivered a peach of an offload for Toby King to then put Tom Lineham over in the corner.
The Tigers regained the lead on the 52nd minute mark when Calum Turner was awarded a penalty try after copping a high shot as he went to ground the ball in the corner, with Richardson easily adding the extras from the improved position. When Stefan Ratchford drew Warrington level seven minutes later, the contest soon became a field-goal shootout.
Both sides squandered two attempts each despite of some quality field position, before Austin sent his second attempt over the black dot at the death. Despite the loss, Castleford’s second-half defensive wall stood firm – the Tigers now haven’t conceded a second half four-pointer since Round 3 – led by workhorse Paul McShane, who contributed 57 tackles.
Dragons too hot for Salford
Catalans registered their third straight win at the expense of Salford, 30 points to 14. The French outfit had the match all but sewn up at half time, following a first half double to Matt Whitley and a third to Michael McIlorum. However, Salford hit back early after the break with a superb solo try to fullback Niall Evalds, which also saw in-form Dragons fullback Sam Tomkins sent to the sin bin for a clumsy attempted trip on Evalds.
Tomkins’ afternoon was soon to get worse though, as he later gifted Red Devils winger Ken Sio his second try after inexplicably spilling the ball back infield after narrowly averting a Salford 40/20. Despite posting three straight second-half tries, wayward goal-kicking once again kept Salford just out of striking distance, Tui Lolohea having converted just five of their 16 tries for the season.
Late tries to Fouad Yaha and Lewis Tierney put the result beyond doubt, with Tomkins making up for his earlier indiscretions with a terrific cut-out pass to put Yaha over. The 2019 runners-up Salford have now slumped to their fifth defeat in six outings, and will face another difficult assignment against a red-hot Wigan next round.
(Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
Warriors claim pole position
Wigan surged to outright first on the ladder after downing a plucky Hull KR by 30 points to 16. Despite of their lowly place on the ladder, KR made Wigan work for their win by posting three tries, a feat no other side has managed against Adrian Lam’s side this season.
It was Hull who drew first blood when Ryan Brierley intercepted a Bevan French pass with Wigan on the attack to put debutante Ethan Ryan away. The Warriors struck back with Jackson Hastings and Liam Farrell both showing their strength to power over from close range, before the Rovers drew level when Wigan dynamo Liam Marshall couldn’t handle a Joe Keyes bomb to leave Hull three-quarter Greg Minikin to pounce.
Wigan were back in front on the stroke of half time when French bamboozled Shaun Kenny-Dowall with a huge dummy before powering into the clear to send Hastings over for his second. Despite injuries to Keyes and Will Maher to add to their already lengthy casualty list, Hull refused to lie down, and responded shortly after the break via a 70-metre solo effort from Brierley off another Wigan error. It wouldn’t be enough, though, as Wigan powered away with tries to Sam Powell and Liam Marshall to take the contest out of Hull’s reach.
Ex-pat update
His side might be struggling, but former Knights winger Ken Sio has been one of Salford’s standout performers, scoring a double against Catalans to give him four in his last two appearances, and six for the season. The Devils flanker is also averaging over 100 metres a game and has an impressive ten line breaks for the season.
In opposition on Saturday was ex-Storm wrecking ball Sam Kasiano, who was a force to be reckoned with off the bench for Catalans as he racked up 166 metres at 13 metres a run.
Konrad Hurrell was a constant handful against the Wolfpack, as he contributed a try, an assist and two line breaks to Leeds’ effort, while teammate Robert Lui added 122 metres and three line breaks to his try-scoring double in what was an emphatic display from the former Cowboy.
Meanwhile, Blake Austin rebounded for Warrington after a disappointing outing against Leeds last week, and composed himself to kick the winning point after coming agonisingly close with an earlier attempt. Austin and Gareth Widdop looked increasingly settled in the halves while Austin’s kicking game was also much more threatening.
Player to watch
He might have had a couple of moments to forget on Saturday, but Sam Tomkins has been running riot for Catalans of late. His electric running from fullback, which produced 134 metres against Salford, gives an already star-studded Dragons line-up an extra bit of flair and another ball-playing option to James Maloney and Josh Drinkwater. His cut-out ball to put Yaha over in the corner was his fourth try assist in just four games, along with four tries of his own and nine line breaks, an average of over two per game.
Paulie
Guest
Harrison Stadium New Jersey...hardly New York!
Walter White
Guest
Well Ottowa enter the English system in 2021 and New York the year after, The next round of the Challenge Cup will be drawn at the New York's designated home ground and Toronto have just qualified for the next round by beating Huddersfield Giants by 18 points to Nil. By NRL standards, these developments are lightning fast.
Paulie
Guest
Well league better act soon if they plan to expand to the Americas World Rugby has just announced a player academy to identify promising young players from the USA Canada and South America to be given financial assistance and opportunities to play in major league clubs across the globe.
Walter White
Guest
I just heard that New York will play in next year's Challenge Cup and that the next round draw will take place in NYC.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Folaus situation is much different but a similar principle applies and it also relates to the Curtis Scott situation. I hear constantly that letting players who are bringing ''bad'' publicity to the game can't be allowed on the field because it damages the game too much. They go on as if it hasn't happened before and seem oblivious to the fact that the games go on with very little drama in just about every case I can remember. Brett Stewart played for several games before his trial and the sky didn't fall in, it was all about the game. The few simpletons who boo a player who is yet to go to trial are the ones who need to be educated.
Walter White
Guest
I don't think there is anything remotely funny about what happened with Folau. I think we have just witnessed what happens when you have group think on a global scale. You are right though, as the season progresses, we will hear less and less about Izzy and in a couple of years, some NRL club will pop up with his signature. Folau's situation is totally different to JDB. What is tragic for JDB is that his court case could not have been heard earlier. This is a problem with our legal profession and it is a problem that has effectively destroyed JDB's career guilty or not.
Walter White
Guest
Yeah, its always difficult imagining what the end point might look like but it could be something like a 10 team comp playing year round in blocks, maybe travelling around like formula 1 and then doing 2 week legs in one place. It all depends on where the money comes from.
Nico
Roar Rookie
If they get enough Eric Perez-type backers then it's not outside the realms of possibility, but can you imagine the travel costs a Perth side would have to stump up for the opposition? The Western Reds thought it was bad enough paying to fly aussie-based clubs over, interesting times for sure
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
It's funny how all the controversy around players like Folau and talk of sponsors and crowds fleeing in large numbers disappears when the footy starts. I'm hoping the NRL are taking notice. We are told the only reason JDB isn't in the news is because he's not playing. Folau and other cases shows this to be nonsense. Once the season starts it's mainly about the games themselves, happens every season.
Walter White
Guest
Panic must be starting to set in now for the Wolfpack. They need to start winning if they are to survive through to next year. Nice to see Saints get beaten by the giants and Wigan are doing a lot better than they were at this time last year. Thanks once again for this summary On a slightly different but related note, the Ottawa Aces have just been admitted to Championship 1 (English 3rd Division) for next year. New York have been postponed a year because of travel concerns for part time English players but are still very much alive. With Red Star Belgrade and Toulouse preparing bids, could we be seeing the beginnings of a Global RL System ? Think that is far-fetched ? Imagine say Perth, frustrated by constant NRL refusals, making a bid then Net Flix buying global rights. This could get interesting.