Leeds Rhinos underlined their position at the top of Super League with this bruising win over Wakefield Trinity, with half-back Jake Connor further emphasising why he should be England’s starting scrum-half for this autumn’s Rugby League World Cup.
Brad Arthur’s side were eye-catching once again as they survived having three players sent to the sin-bin to defeat a Wakefield side who could have drawn level with the Rhinos had they won here after their own impressive start to 2026.
However, this contest proved a step too far for Trinity, who were outclassed by Leeds, and Connor in particular, when it mattered most.
Super League’s reigning Man of Steel was near faultless, providing four try assists and having a wider hand in almost everything Leeds did well. Having been bizarrely omitted for last year’s Ashes by Shaun Wane, the odds on an England call-up under the new coach, Brian McDermott, will be shortening by the day with performances like these.
Connor had a telling hand in all three of Maika Sivo’s tries, which took the Fijian winger to 17 in just nine Super League games. Two of those came before half-time, with Kallum Watkins also crossing thanks to a brilliant Connor assist to put the Rhinos 20-12 up at the break.
Oli Pratt and Tray Lolesio scored Wakefield’s tries to keep Trinity in contention. Then yellow cards for Sivo and Ash Handley either side of half-time left Leeds briefly down to 11 men, and when Jayden Myers scored during that period to narrow the deficit to six points, the prospect of a Wakefield comeback felt on. But once Leeds were restored to full strength, it always felt as though they had the upper hand on their West Yorkshire rivals.
Sivo claimed his third shortly after returning before two late tries for Brodie Croft either side of a second for Myers meant Leeds always had Wakefield at arm’s length on a night in which the contest lasted well over two hours. That was in part due to a lengthy stoppage after Trinity’s Cam Scott was taken to hospital after being knocked out in the early stages.
However, Scott was later given the all-clear and his coach was left to reflect on a difficult night. “It was carnage from start to finish,” Daryl Powell said. “I just don’t think we were that great.”
As for Leeds, their eighth win in 10 games keeps them ahead of St Helens, who beat York Knights 40-16 at the BrewDog Stadium, on points difference.
“I’m relieved because it was the longest game in history,” Arthur said. “I thought the guys were really brave and strong defensively with 12 players. We handled everything really well. I’m extremely proud of them.”
Leeds Miller; Sivo, Handley, Bird, Hall; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, Levi, Palasia, McDonnell, Hankinson, Watkins.
Interchange Jenkins, Holroyd, O’Connor, Smith.
Wakefield Rourke; Pratt, Scott, Hall, Myers; Trueman, Lino; McMeeken, Smoothy, Hamlin-Uele, Storton, Pitts, Rodwell.
Interchange Faatili, Smith, Lolesio, Tate.
Referee C Kendall.
Leave a Reply