Leeds Rhinos Go Top of Super League After Six-Try Demolition of St Helens
Leeds Rhinos returned to the summit of the Betfred Super League on Friday night, crushing St Helens 34-6 at the BrewDog Stadium to move top on points difference.
The Round 25 contest, played on Friday 28 August 2026, saw Leeds run in six tries at a ground where St Helens have long been a formidable proposition. The visitors had travelled looking to strengthen their claims for the League Leaders' Shield — the award given to the team that finishes the regular season in first place — and they delivered with their most commanding performance of the run-in (Sky Sports).
The victory lifted Leeds back above Wigan Warriors, who had held pole position. The two sides are now level on points, with Leeds edging ahead on points difference — the tiebreaker used when teams finish level on the league table (BBC Sport).
The fixture adds another layer of intrigue: Leeds' next Super League match is against that same second-placed Wigan side. A top-of-the-table clash with genuine title implications now awaits.
For St Helens, the night was bleak. A 34-6 home defeat dealt a major blow to their hopes of reaching the 2026 playoffs, leaving a 60-year postseason record hanging by a thread (The Guardian). St Helens have been ever-present in the Super League playoff structure since its inception, and missing out would represent a seismic moment for one of the sport's most decorated clubs.
Elsewhere on Friday night, Huddersfield Giants beat Leigh Leopards 30-18, leading 14-6 at half-time before pulling clear after the break (Super League). Catalans Dragons also won their match, rounding off a night that reshaped both the top and the middle of the table (Sky Sports).
The 2026 Super League season is entering its decisive stretch. With only a handful of rounds remaining, Leeds sit first, Wigan second, and the battle below — for the remaining playoff spots and against the threat of missing out entirely — is tightening by the week.
For Leeds fans, the message is simple: beat Wigan next time out and the Shield moves one step closer. For St Helens supporters, the wait for clarity on their playoff fate goes on, and the margins are getting thinner.
