The Betfred Super League returns after a one week break due to the mid-season internationals. Round 16 gets underway on Thursday evening as league leaders, St Helens host the Leeds Rhinos live on Sky Sports with kick-off at 8:00 PM.
The Saints have continued their good form with 13 victories from 15 Betfred Super League matches. St Helens have won their previous 10 meetings with Leeds, six of which have been at the Totally Wicked Stadium. The Saints dominated in round seven when the two sides met as Tommy Makinson crossed twice in the 26-0 victory. Makinson needs two tries to reach 150 Super League tries.
Leeds got off to a slow start in 2022, however the side have shown improvements after the appointment of Rohan Smith. The Rhinos recorded back-to-back successes with wins against Wakefield Trinity and Warrington, but a defeat in their last match against Huddersfield may have halted momentum. Should Richie Myler feature, it would be his 100th appearance for the West Yorkshire side.
Warrington Wolves host Hull FC at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday night, with the match getting underway at 8:00 PM. The game will be shown live on Sky Sports.
Daryl Powell’s side are under pressure after suffering five defeats in a row and will be looking for their first success since the 32-10 home win over Huddersfield in April. James Harrison is set to make his Warrington debut. The prop suffered an ACL injury which has seen him miss the entire 2022 season so far. New signing Thomas Mikaele could make his home debut.
Hull FC also come into this fixture looking to improve their form. Brett Hodgson’s side have won one of their previous four fixtures. The Black and Whites currently sit fifth in the table and will be looking to complete the double over Warrington this season. The two sides met at Hull’s KCOM Stadium on Easter Monday which the hosts narrowly defeated Warrington 18-16.
Hull will be without Australian half-back, Josh Reynolds, who left the club earlier in the week.
Wigan Warriors host Toulouse Olympique in the other Betfred Super League fixture on Friday evening. Kick-off is at 8:00 PM at the DW Stadium.
Wigan have had a successful season so far after winning the Challenge Cup final due to a late Liam Marshall try. Since their cup success, the Warriors have won both matches against Castleford and Salford, which sees them occupy third spot in the Super League table. The two sides have only met once which was in round four. The close contest was decided by a Harry Smith drop goal in the final minute of the match.
Although they sit bottom of the league, Toulouse have been competitive in many of their matches. The French side have won only one of their previous four matches, however they were narrowly defeated 17-16 against Huddersfield Giants and 20-14 at home to Castleford.
Olympique are yet to win an away fixture in Super League.
Wakefield will be looking to continue their good form on Sunday afternoon as they travel to face Salford Red Devils at the AJ Bell Stadium Kick-off is at 3:00 PM.
Willie Poching’s side sit 11th in the Super League table and have won five matches this season. Out of their five league victories, only one has come away from home which was against Warrington Wolves. Trinity have won their previous two matches with successes at
home against Hull FC and Warrington. Second rower, Matty Ashurst, will be looking to continue his try scoring form, he has scored on his last two Trinity appearances.
Salford sit one place above Wakefield in the table, however the teams sit level on Super League points. After back-to-back victories in May against Leeds and Castleford, Paul Rowley’s side have lost their previous two fixtures. The Red Devils have won four home league fixtures this campaign.
Hull Kingston Rovers welcome Huddersfield Giants to East Hull on Saturday afternoon. The fixture at Sewell Group Craven Park gets underway at 3:15 PM.
The Robins have won one of their previous six matches in all competitions. In recent years, Rovers have struggled when facing Huddersfield as the Giants have won nine of the last 10 meetings, including twice this season in the Challenge Cup semi-final and round two of the Super League. England International, Ryan Hall has posed a threat all season. The Hull KR winger has scored 11 league tries this season.
Huddersfield have impressed many this season with how they have performed in the league and cup. Ian Watson’s side sit fourth in the table and lost out late on against Wigan in the Challenge Cup final.
The Giants come into the contest off the back of five straight victories in the Super League. Since their cup final defeat, they have defeated Catalans 22-14 at Stade Gilbert Brutus and a 30-16 home win against Leeds.
Giants’ winger, Jermaine McGillvary, is only one try away from 200 in Super League. Should the former England International score on Sunday, it would take him to 187 Super League tries, which would put him sixth in the all-time standings.
The final match of round 16 sees Castleford Tigers host the Catalans Dragons. The fixture kicks-off at 3:30 PM at Castleford’s Mend-A-Hose Jungle.
Lee Radford’s side sit sixth in the table ahead of this fixture. Of their seven victories, five of them have come at The Jungle. After losing to Salford and Wigan, The Tigers have bounced back with an away victory at Toulouse.
Niall Evalds is one appearance away from 200 in his career, meanwhile prop, Liam Watts, is one appearance away from 100 for Castleford.
Catalans come into Sunday’s match against Castleford in second position in the Betfred Super League.
Steve McNamara’s side have won four of their last five Super League fixtures. This includes the 44-12 success over Castleford at the end of April which included a hat-trick from 23-year-old Mathieu Laguerre.
England international, Sam Tomkins, is one career appearance away from 250 in the Betfred Super League.
Betfred Super League Round 15 Fixtures
Thursday:
- St Helens v Leeds Rhinos - 8pm - live on Sky Sports
Friday:
- Warrington Wolves v Hull FC - 8pm - live on Sky Sports
- Wigan Warriors v Toulouse - 8pm
Sunday:
- Salford Red Devils v Wakefield Trinity - 3pm
- Hull KR v Huddersfield Giants - 3.15pm
- Castleford Tigers v Catalans Dragons - 3.30pm
