Leigh Leopards delivered a crushing 48‑10 victory over St Helens, a result that condemned the Saints to a historic miss of the Super League play‑offs for the first time since the 1964/65 season. The defeat, combined with Hull KR's dominant 36‑6 win against Huddersfield, cemented the top‑six lineup for the closing weeks of the campaign: Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves, Leigh Leopards, and Hull KR. Consequently, St Helens slipped to seventh place, ending their season without a chance to contest a Grand Final berth and marking the lowest point the club has ever reached in the modern Super League era. The failure to qualify for the post‑season follows a turbulent year for the Saints, which saw head coach Paul Rowley dismissed less than twelve months after his appointment.
The club now looks ahead to the arrival of Australian national team boss Kevin Walters in 2027, hoping his expertise will restore the once four‑in‑a‑row champions to trophy contention. Meanwhile, in East Hull, long‑time head coach Willie Peters bid an emotional farewell after guiding Hull KR to a play‑off‑securing triumph before departing for the new NRL franchise PNG Chiefs in 2027. At the Progress with Unity Stadium, St Helens entered the match with a simple objective: secure a win to keep their slim play‑off hopes alive.
Early opportunities were squandered through handling errors, and a thin bench failed to provide the depth needed to recover momentum. In contrast, Leigh seized control early.
A well‑placed kick opened space for Josh Charnley, who crossed for a try and celebrated by signing a contract extension with the club. Minutes later, Innes Senior powered through the defensive line, linking with David Armstrong for a rapid 12‑0 lead within the first quarter of the game.
St Helens responded with a clever scrum move, allowing Tristan Sailor to flick the ball to Jacob Douglas, who dived over in the corner. A subsequent team try saw Sailor shift to the left, feed Harry Robertson on the right, and the full‑back finish the move, converting to narrow the gap to 12‑10. However, Leigh answered swiftly.
Senior broke down the left edge again, handing the ball to Umyla Hanley, who exploited a gap left by Matty Evans and Adam Cook to score. A speculative kick from Edwin Ipape was collected by Cook, who slotted the conversion, extending the lead to 24‑10 at halftime.
The second half deteriorated further for the Saints. Centre Percival was sin‑binned for a high tackle, prompting a standing ovation from fans who recognized his impending retirement as a club legend. With St Helens down a player for nearly two minutes, Ipape powered over from close range, and Cook added another conversion, pushing Leigh's advantage to 30‑10 with fifteen minutes remaining.
Defensive lapses continued as Hanley added a second try, evading three defenders, and Jacob Alick‑Wiencke followed with a further score. The home crowd sang “Saints are falling apart again” as Cook’s conversion made it 42‑10.
In the final minutes, rain pouring down, Robbie Mulhern capped his 100th appearance with a try, sealing a 48‑10 triumph for Leigh. The Leopards celebrated their comprehensive win, while St Helens were left to contemplate a night that will be remembered as a low point in their storied history. Hull KR’s victory over Huddersfield also confirmed their place among the top six, though the club will not enjoy a home tie in either of the two play‑off rounds. Coach Willie Peters, a 47‑year‑old who steered the team to a historic treble and a World Club Challenge title last season, will depart at season’s end for the PNG Hunters in the NRL.
Despite missing the prolific Mikey Lewis, who is set to return from suspension for the final regular‑season game, Hull KR displayed flashes of their championship form, breaking a three‑match losing streak with early tries from Elliot Minchella, Arthur Mourgue, and Jack Broadbent. Elsewhere, Huddersfield, having shaken off the reputation of being a top‑flight pushover, arrived in East Hull on the back of an impressive run of five wins in six matches under Jim Lenihan. Their campaign, however, ended with a 44‑30 loss to Toulouse in France.
Henry O'Kane contributed two tries, while César Rouge added a try, six conversions, and two penalties to secure the hosts' victory in their final home game of the season. Despite a spirited second‑half comeback sparked by two tries from Lewis Martin and captain Aidan Sezer, Toulouse responded with two more scores to keep the result out of reach.
Hull KR’s next challenge will be an away fixture against Leeds Rhinos in the final round of the regular Betfred Super League season. Earlier, O'Kane opened the scoring against Toulouse with a sixth‑minute try and added another after a 15‑minute pass to teammate Luke Polselli, followed by a close‑range effort from James Roumanos. By halftime, the score stood at a commanding 30‑0 after Paul Ulberg crossed the line from a Mathieu Jussaume pass.
In the second half, Martin and Sezer, who also kicked five conversions, finally got Hull on the board, and Logan Moy reduced the deficit to 30‑16 before the hour mark. Rouge answered with another try, and Olly Ashall‑Bott’s late score sealed the victory for Toulouse.
The season’s broadcast arrangement ensures that every Super League match is shown live on Sky Sports, with two matches each round streamed exclusively live and the remaining five available via Sky Sports+. This comprehensive coverage allows fans to follow the drama of the league, from title races to the intense battles for play‑off positions, as clubs like Leigh and Hull KR strive to cement their places among the elite while historic powerhouses such as St Helens grapple with the challenges of a changing era.