York secured a convincing 38-14 triumph over fellow relegation‑battle companions Toulouse at the LNER Community Stadium, thanks in large part to a spectacular hat‑trick from Australian winger Scott Galeano. The win marked York’s third Betfred Super League success of the campaign and snapped a five‑match losing streak that had spanned all competitions. The Knights opened the scoring early, with centre Paul Vaughan – who was celebrating his 35th birthday on the day – powering his way over the line under the posts. Vaughan’s try was quickly followed by a second‑half‑area effort that was disallowed because the ball was not properly grounded, but the early momentum was firmly with York.
Within the next ten minutes Vaughan crossed again, this time after a well‑executed set‑piece that saw Cody Hunter slot the conversion, pushing the home side ahead 12-0 after just 20 minutes of play. Toulouse attempted to respond, and after roughly thirty minutes the French side finally got on the scoreboard. Thomas Lacans displayed impressive footwork, cutting back inside and diving over in the corner to give the visitors a glimmer of hope.
However, York’s answer was swift: Galeano, who had already been a constant threat on the right flank, surged into the right corner and touched down, extending York’s lead to 18-6 at the break. The second half saw York continue to dominate possession and territory. At the 55‑minute mark, a high kick was chased by York’s utility back Jesse Dee, who managed to hook the ball back while being driven into the advertising boards. The ball ricocheted to Galeano, who calmly grounded it for his second try of the afternoon – a try that appeared almost inevitable given the chaos in front of the posts.
Kieran Buchanan added another try shortly thereafter, cementing York’s control of the match. Hunter then added a penalty goal, pushing the tally to 32-6 just after the hour hand. Toulouse, still languishing at the bottom of the table on points difference, managed to claw back a second try in the 66th minute when Henry O'Kane displayed remarkable strength, powering the ball over despite being held up by a pair of York defenders. The Knights did not let the French side gain any real momentum.
With eight minutes remaining, Galeano completed his hat‑trick, sealing his personal achievement and sealing York’s dominance. Toulouse’s consolation came late when Mathieu Jussaume burst through the defense to score, but the French side fell to a seventh league defeat of the season. Elsewhere on Thursday night, the Leigh Leopards delivered a solid performance of their own, defeating the Huddersfield Giants 30-16. Veteran winger Josh Charnley, celebrating his 400th appearance, crossed the line twice in the second half, bringing his Super League try total to 263 – just five shy of Ryan Hall’s all‑time record.
AJ Towse also contributed two tries, while Innes Senior added another and Lachlan Lam was awarded a penalty try, rounding out a comprehensive offensive display for Leigh. Huddersfield’s points came from tries by Adam Swift, Taane Milne and Jacob Gagai, but the Giants remained stuck at the foot of the table, level with Toulouse on four points.
Leigh’s victory lifted them to eighth place, providing a much‑needed boost in the mid‑table scramble. The match reports also reminded viewers to use the Chrome browser for an optimal video‑player experience, a note that appeared multiple times throughout the coverage. In addition, the article highlighted the latest Super League table, streaming options without a contract, and the Bench podcast featuring Jenna and Jon, as well as a prompt to customize sports notifications.
Looking ahead, Sky Sports confirmed that it will continue to broadcast every Super League game live throughout the season, with two matches each round shown exclusively live and the remaining five fixtures streamed on the network each week. This comprehensive coverage ensures that fans can follow the league’s drama from start to finish, whether they are cheering for York, Leigh, or any of the other clubs battling for survival and glory in the 2024 season.