St Helens 6-34 Leeds
Rhinos return to top of table after running in six tries
If you needed any further proof that Super League’s two most successful sides are travelling in opposite directions in 2026, this was about as conclusive as it can get.
There are two very different fates awaiting Leeds and St Helens in three weeks or so. The Rhinos will now almost certainly be resting before a Super League playoff semi-final, having earned a bye through the opening week of the playoffs by virtue of a top-two finish. They are still favourites to end the regular season on top after this latest impressive victory.
But Saints, barring a late miraculous run of results involving themselves and the teams around them, will be resting and preparing for 2027, with their 60-year record of making the end-of-season playoffs coming to a screeching halt. After back-to-back wins in the past fortnight, you wondered if this was the night that St Helens could really make people sit up and take notice.
Win here, and they would not only dent Leeds’ chances of the League Leaders’ Shield, but they would put themselves right back in the mix for the top six. Instead, what we saw was an 80 minutes very much played out to the form of 2026 as a whole. Rhinos were impressive, Jake Connor was sensational yet again, and Saints disappointed.
With two rounds to go, Leeds can now look ahead to what is effectively a decider for top spot next Saturday against Wigan. St Helens, in all probability, have to win their last two games and win them well to stand any chance of making the playoffs. This season has presented enough evidence to suggest they simply will not be able to do that.
They huffed and puffed all evening to little avail and, when the big moments arrived, Leeds handed out a lesson in how to attack with the precision and style befitting of a team that will be in the mix for the Grand Final. St Helens, ultimately, are a team not good enough to be mentioned in the same breath.
Connor pulled strings to devastating effect, as he has done all year. It would be a travesty at this stage if, after being overlooked for last year’s Ashes, he is left out of the travelling squad for this autumn’s World Cup. He was hugely influential in Leeds moving into a commanding 18-0 lead by the break, and Rhinos did not relent after half-time, nor did their talisman.
It was Connor’s inch-perfect pass for Chris Hankinson that broke the deadlock and while Saints survived a 10-minute period with Daniel Suluka-Fifita in the sin-bin, that period took the wind from their sails. Leeds then took full advantage as the hosts wilted with half-time approaching, scoring twice in six minutes.
Cameron Smith produced a sublime solo effort to double Leeds’ advantage before Connor again produced the decisive pass, this time for Harry Newman to score. Saints simply had to score first after half-time, but their attacking prowess in key moments failed them. That meant that Leeds were able to respond through Ryan Hall’s try to make it 22-0 and kill it as a contest.
Jack Welsby at least ensured Saints would not fail to score on home soil when he broke from deep to touch down, but normal service was soon resumed. The hosts knocked on from the following set after Welsby’s try, with a kick from Connor – who else – being grounded by the Rhinos captain, Ash Handley.
Connor’s boot then caused mayhem among the St Helens defence again to allow his half-back partner, Brodie Croft, to score his 28th try of the season. That made it 34-6 but by then, the home support had already begun to filter away. Their season is ebbing away and is almost over, but in truth, Leeds’ may just be beginning.
