Leeds Rhinos 34-8 Hull KR: Micah Sivo helps Super League leaders beat champions

Betfred Super League

Leeds (18) 34

Try: Hankinson, Civo 2, Connor, Handley Aim: Connor 7

Hull KR (2) 8

Try: Booth Aim: Martin 2

Free-scoring Micah Sivo took his Super League try tally to 27 in two seasons with Leeds Rhinos’ emphatic 34-8 win over champions Hull KR at Headingley.

Civo touched down either side of the break to make 15 tries in an unbroken nine-game scoring spree from the Fijian winger as the table-topping Rhinos moved two points clear at the top.

Chris Hankinson headed over for Leeds’ first try of the night, while Jake Connor made two of his three first-half penalties before Civo went over for the first time.

Civo then added to an 18-2 halftime lead against the Rhines Robbins The side that had Rhyse Martin in the sin-bin.

And when Noah Booth hit back with a try soon after, Connor went over for a fourth Leeds Try before the hour mark before Ash Handley completed the win.

Just three days after the humiliating defeat by Hull KR It was confirmed Nathan Kelce will replace all-winning head coach Willie Peters when the Robins leave for National Rugby League expansion club Papua New Guinea Chiefs at the end of the season.

For Leeds, a fifth win in a row was another statement win for them Warrington beat Wolves 34-6 A week ago in a top-of-the-table showdown.

There were emotional pre-match scenes at Headingley for Leeds’ annual Motor Neurone Disease (MND) awareness game, with tributes paid to the late Rob Barrow – the Rhinos legend who died of the disease in 2024, aged 41.

After the start of the game, Hull KR showed ferocious intent against the competition’s pacesetters, who delivered a high-profile 58-6 thrashing of the Robins in Las Vegas in March.

The opening exchange was so intense that the Robin duo of Tom Ammon and Dean Hadley left each other with bloody faces after clashing heads.

While Amon was able to return with a bandage around his face, Hadley failed to have his head injury assessed and will now miss next week’s derby showdown against Hull FC on the Magic Weekend.

It adds to Hull KR’s list of injury problems, which have increased with Joe Burgess and Sam Luckley missing for this game.

After Conner traded penalties with Martin in a tense opening 30 minutes, the half-back threaded a grubber kick for Hankinson for the first try of the game.

Civo then dotted down twice as Leeds quickly looked as if they could secure another big win against the Robins.

Booth’s try came as little consolation as Handley capped a stunning performance with a four-pointer of his own before Handley scored his 500th Super League point.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Sivo, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, Levy, Palacia, Hankinson, McDonnell, Watkins.

exchange: Jenkins, O’Connor, C. Smith, Holroyd, Lomb.

Hull KR: Broadbent, Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Booth, Lewis, May, Hadley, Lawton, Ammon, Whitbread, Batchelor, Minchella.

exchange: Martin, Dezaria, Leland, Pangai Jr., Hampshire.

Sin-bin: Martin (40)

Referee: Chris Kendall.