There were some mouth-watering prospects as the Super League Qualifiers reached round three after a weekend off for the Challenge Cup Final.
Leeds Rhinos were hosts to Hull KR in an all Super League clash while the Widnes Vikings travelled to Toulouse knowing that only a win would keep their hopes of automatic qualification back into the top flight. London Broncos were at Toronto Wolfpack for a battle of the Championship sides and on Sunday afternoon the Salford Red Devils looked to maintain their one-hundred percent record as they visited bottom side, Halifax.
In a ding-dong battle on Saturday afternoon at Headingley it was the visitors Hull KR who secured a vital two points over the Leeds Rhinos by 38-36 in a game where the lead changed hands on a number of occasions. The Rhinos retained their second place but the competition for automatic places was blown wide open.
Toulouse took an early lead against visitors Widnes through a Kheirallah converted try but tries from Inu and Hansen put the visitors 10-6 ahead after twenty-five. Kheirallah and Centrone got tries before the interval and Toulouse went into the break at 16-10. Hauraki levelled the scores just after the restart with a try converted by Inu but three tries in ten minutes from Ford, Centrone and Robin won the game for the home side. White scored a consolation on seventy-two but it was Barthau who who scored the last try for the 42-22 win.
London Broncos visited Toronto to take on the Wolfpack and despite a valiant second half fightback, after being 20-0 down at the interval, they were unable to overhaul the free scoring Canadian side and lost out by 34-22.
Despite Halifax taking an early lead against Salford when Wood opened the scoring on nine minutes, the game then became one way traffic as the Salford Red Devils strode to a massive 62-4 win. There were three tries from Olpherts, two each from Hastings and Sa’u as well as singles from Chamberlain, Welham, Tasi, Wood and Nakubuwai. Chanberlain kicked seven goals in a comprehensive rout.
Current Standings (3 Rounds);
Super League 2019: Salford Red Devils, Leeds Rhinos, Toronto Wolfpack
Million Pound Game: Toulouse Olympique XIII v. Hull KR
Championship 2019: London Broncos, Widnes Vikings, Halifax