Betfred Super League Round 1
Friday 13 February 2026
Leopards Den (8pm)
Leigh Leopards 26-14 Leeds Rhinos
Leopards started their Betfred Super League campaign with a thrilling five-try victory over the team that beat them home and away last season.
As a marker for the season ahead, this was powerful from Adrian Lam’s team. Their dominant pack performance, in which the starting six were all outstanding, laid the foundations in an often brutal and penalty-littered encounter while Lachlan Lam orchestrated the backs to make the most of limited opportunities.
Tesi Niu was awarded Player of the Match for his ferocious defence and ability to gain yardage, but the award could have gone to at least half a dozen players such was the all-round team performance.
Bailey Hodgson, again making over 200 metres, and Keanan Brand with 30 tackles from centre were to the fore while debutant Liam Horne injected exciting momentum from the bench.
The meeting of the teams that finished third and fourth last season was a compelling affair though referee Tom Grant’s application of the stricter rules around the play-the-balls led to 18 penalties which frustratingly interrupted the flow.
The Leopards Den produced a fantastic spectacle with the match day experience further enhanced from last season with more smoke machines, lasers, holograms and pyros.
With the home sides of the ground sold out there was a great atmosphere as the teams came out, both lacking key players through injury. Rhinos, lacking nine squad players including last year’s Man of Steel Jake Connor were the worst affected.
Rhinos dominated the early stages on the back of three penalties, from one of which Leigh old boy Chris Hankinson opened the scoring.
Having survived the onslaught, Robbie Mulhern and Owen Trout particularly outstanding in defence, Leopards counter attacked to great effect. Edwin Ipape’s break, supported by Hodgson, then Lam’s brilliant one-handed pass to the wing and Innes Senior crossed for his first Leigh try.
Ipape was having a brilliant game down the middle, and he combined with Joe Odahengaue to score an outstanding second try as Leopards went in 10-2 ahead at the interval.
Whoever scored first at the start of the second half would have the initiative. Sensationally, it came Leopards’ way after just nine seconds.
Riley Lumb fumbled Adam Cook’s long kick-off towards the North Stand and Jack Hughes pounded, kicking ahead and grounding.
When Matty Davis got the vital touchdown to Cook’s grubber and video referee Liam Rush overruled Grant’s on-field decision of ‘no try’ Leopards were 20-2 ahead.
Rhinos prop Cooper Jenkins showed strength to pierce the close-range Leopards defence for a reviving Rhinos try before tempers boiled over. After an angry exchange, Davis and Harry Newman were pulled out from a melee and sin binned.
Another Rhinos try would have made things interesting, but Lam had other ideas. Cleverly spotting two tiring Rhinos forwards in the defensive line his elusive footwork and speed did the rest.
Just over a minute was left on the clock when Brodie Croft, so often a thorn in Leopards’ side, pulled back a consolation try for the visitors.
Leopards
Bailey Hodgson; Josh Charnley, Keanan Brand, Tesi Niu, Innes Senior; Adam Cook, Lachlan Lam; Owen Trout, Edwin Ipape, Robbie Mulhern, Frankie Halton, Jacob Alick-Wiencke, Joe Ofahengaue
Bench:
Jack Hughes, Matt Davies, Liam Horne, Andrew Badrock. 18th player: Gareth O’Brien (not used)
Tries:
Senior (16), Ipape (25), Hughes (41), Davis (47), Lam (67)
Goals:
Cook 3/ 5
Sin bin:
Davis (58)
Rhinos
Lachlan Miller; Ryan Hall, Harry Newman, Chris Hankinson, Riley Lumb; Brodie Croft, George Brown; Cooper Jenkins, Jarrod O’Connor, Tom Holroyd, Ethan O’Neill, James McDonnell, Kallum Watkins
Bench:
Danny Levi, Presley Cassell, Ben Littlewood, Tom Nicholson-Watton (not used). 18th player: Ned McCormack (not used)
Tries:
Jenkins (52), Croft (79)
Goals:
Hankinson 3/ 3
Sin bin:
Newman (58)
Referee: Tom Grant
Touch judges: Warren Turley & J Roberts
Reserve referee: A Williams
Video referee: Liam Rush
Timekeeper: P Smith
Scoring sequence: 0-2, 6-2, 10-2 (ht) 14-2, 20-2, 20-8, 26-8, 26-14
Attendance: 9,603 (home sell-out)
Penalty count: 9-9
GLDO1-0
Main Match Sponsor: Hilltop
Player of the Match Sponsor: Advances Steel Services (awarded to Tesi Niu)
Match Ball Sponsor: WJ Structures
Champagne Moment Sponsor: Vaylia (awarded to Jack Hughes for his try)
Official Kit & Retail Partner: Debeau Performance
Leopards new heritage number: Liam Horne (HN#1578)
