Two sent off as leaders Hull KR fight back to beat Leeds

Headingley Betfred Super League

Leeds (6) 14

Handley attempts, Lumb 3 Miller goals.

Hull KR (6) 20

In a stunning comeback against Leeds Rhinos at Headingley, Mikey Lewis came out on top to seal Hull KR’s victory.

The Super League leaders opened the scoring in the opening half with Jack Broadbent, who then added a score for the hosts.

With 22 minutes left, Sauaso Sue was sent off for the Robins after Riley Lumb’s try had pushed the Rhinos ahead.

Rovers’ second defeat of the season came as an hour and 14 seconds before Sue was sent off, but they rallied admirably to move four points clear of the leader with their eighth win of the campaign.

Leeds lost to the Robins for the sixth time in a row, but they are still in sixth place overall.

After two red cards and one yellow card, the game was excellent, but it will lead to more discussion about officiating.

After Peta Hiku’s break, Rovers struck against 11 men through Broadbent while Jake Connor was also off the field for medical treatment and Leeds’ Jack Sinfield was later found guilty of making contact with Oliver Gildart’s head.

Leeds improved as the second half progressed, and Connor’s tip-on pass freed Handley down the left. He twice exchanged passes with Lumb to send the winger into the corner for a superb try.

Then came the first red card, when Sue directly struck Sam Lisone with his shoulder. The referee saw no reversal because Sue did not attempt to wrap his arm despite Lisone dropping his height from the opening tackle.

Leeds moved even further ahead with the subsequent penalty kick from 35 meters.

Rovers were given a position on the field when the penalty sent Batchelor, a back rower stationed as a makeshift wing, into the top corner.

Brad Arthur, the head coach at Leeds, told BBC Radio Leeds:

“I’m very proud of that performance, the resilience, and how we managed to put ourselves in a good, strong position.

However, we must learn how to play games in the end. We did it as well against Warrington.

We simply aren’t quite at the level we need to be a real threat in the competition, according to the statement.

Willie Peters, the head coach of Hull KR, told BBC Radio Humberside:

“We knew that Leeds would be a tough, explosive team, and they outlasted them in every single game.”

Because of how poorly our attack affected the majority of the game, we found a way to connect when we were down to 12 men.

Holroyd, Lisone, Bentley, and Watkins are the exchanges.

Sin-bin: Sinfield (5).

Sent off: Handley (72).

Mourgue, Hiku, Batchelor, Gildart, Broadbent, Lewis, May, Sue, Litten, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Tanginoa, Minchella, and more.

Luckley, Whitbread, Brown, and Leyland are the exchanges.

Sent off: Sue (58).