Betfred Super League champions St Helens grabbed the headlines on a thrilling Magic Weekend as they snatched a dramatic 20-18 victory over arch-rivals Wigan Warriors on Saturday.
Jonny Lomax crossed two minutes from time to cap a strong fightback by league leaders Saints after Regan Grace had touched down moments earlier at St James' Park.
Two tries from Bevan French and another from Jon Bateman had put second-placed Wigan in control, but their hopes of hanging on were hit when Brad Singleton was sent off.
Singleton hit Curtis Sironen with a high tackle on 65 minutes and Saints, who had earlier scored through Joe Batchelor and Jack Welsby, made their numerical advantage count.
There was also drama in the basement battle between Toulouse Olympique and Wakefield Trinity as the French side recovered from 20-4 down for a vital 38-26 win.
Victory for Trinity would have given them a six-point cushion at the bottom and they looked well on course as Liam Hood, Matty Ashurst and David Fifita crossed.
Toulouse, who first got on the scoreboard through Joe Bretherton, turned the game around with a five-try blitz after the interval. Taking advantage of the sin-binnings of Fifita and Rob Butler, they hit back to take the lead through Lambert Belmas, Matty Russell and Nathan Peats before Latrell Schaumkel and Russell added more.
Kelepi Tanginoa gave Wakefield a glimmer of hope but Guy Armitage intercepted to finish them off.
Hull FC claimed a 34-28 derby win over Hull Kingston Rovers in another exhilarating contest despite scoring just five tries to their rivals' six.
Mikey Lewis' hat-trick for Rovers proved in vain as interim coach Danny McGuire was beaten in his first match in charge.
New signing Ellis Longstaff scored two for Hull, while captain Luke Gale's seven goals also proved crucial. Connor Wynne, Joe Lovodua and Josh Simm got Hull's other tries. Matt Parcell, Sam Wood and Jimmy Keinhorst also scored for Rovers but Lachlan Coote could convert just two.
Warrington Wolves turned the form book on its head to claim an impressive 36-10 win over Catalans Dragons.
Stefan Ratchford scored 16 points with a try and six goals, with further Wolves scores coming from Gareth Widdop, Jake Wardle, Matty Nicholson, Josh Thewlis and George Williams. The Dragons tries came from Samisoni Langi and Sam Tomkins.
Huddersfield Giants scored five tries to beat Salford Red Devils 30-18. Touchdowns from Toby King, Owen Trout, Chris McQueen and Jermaine McGillvary put the Giants in control, with Deon Cross replying for Salford.
The Red Devils rallied as Brodie Croft scored a fine try and made another for Sam Luckley, but McGillvary's second sealed it.
Leeds Rhinos overturned a 10-6 half-time deficit to sweep rivals Castleford Tigers aside 34-20.
Matt Prior's early try was cancelled out by Jake Mamo and Bureta Faraimo, but Leeds took control as Ash Handley, Aiden Sezer, Richie Myler, James Bentley and Liam Sutcliffe went over.
Faraimo and Mahe Fonua claimed late Tigers consolations.
The aggregate attendance across the six games in Newcastle was 62,154.
Results:
Saturday 10 July
- Wakefield Trinity 26 Toulouse Olympique 38
- St Helens 20 Wigan Warriors 18
- Leeds Rhinos 34 Castleford Tigers 20
Sunday 11 July:
- Huddersfield Giants 30 Salford Red Devils 18
- Catalans Dragons 10 Warrington Wolves 36
- Hull Kingston Rovers 28 Hull FC 34
