Challenge Cup - Leeds/Hull FC

[josie andrews]

They’re not half making a big thing of them beating a non league side with home advantage!
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Full-back Jake Connor scored 32 points, from a try and 14 goals, as Leeds Rhinos coasted past non-league Wests Warriors at AMT Headingley today.

No records were broken, but Ryan Hall and Sam Lisone both scored a hat-trick out of Rhinos’ total of 16 touchdowns and it was the third-highest total in Leeds’ history. The Super League side were ruthless in their approach against Southern Conference opponents – though it has to be said they didn’t exactly rush their conversions – and the fact coach Brad Arthur fielded close to a full-strength side said a lot about his winning mindset going into the new campaign.

Warriors did have some Super League experience in the shape of winger Ilies Macani who scored nine tries in 29 top-flight appearances with London Broncos. That included a touchdown at Headingley last July, in the game when Leeds won by a Brodie Croft drop goal in golden-point extra-time.

It’s unlikely any team visiting Headingley this year will try harder, but the Londoners were a long way out of their depth and it was effectively an opposed training session for Leeds. That said, the amateurs did have a couple of notable moments, particularly excellent ball-and-all tackles by Judd Greenhalgh on Croft and, spectacularly, Tama Gribble who wrapped up Connor on the last. They also managed to drag Handley down just short and hold up Keenan Palasia over the line.


Read more:
https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... rs-4981678

[josie andrews]

Hull FC star makes starting case as credit shown to youth and York Acorn spirit

Hull FC ran out 52-6 winners against York Acorn.

Hull FC got their 2025 season up and running with a 52-6 win over York Acorn in the Challenge Cup third round. Here, Hull Live looks at some talking points.

A win to get going

Job done. That’s the overall assessment of Hull FC’s victory on Saturday. It wasn’t spectacular or anything outlandish like that, but it was satisfactory. It was job done.

In a tie where Hull were never going to get everything their own way, there were some elements that were very good, in particular the direct shape seen off John Asiata, with some decent tries scored off strong running and neat passages of play. But equally, there were some slow and scrappy periods of the game that hardly made for scintillating viewing.

As John Cartwright said post-match, that was to be expected. There are many contributing factors for that: the pitch, time of year, the opposition, the new-look Hull side, etc., but in the midst of a rebuild, the biggest reality is that it’s going to take time.

However, there is still some promise on show. A lot of that promise stems from Asiata and the dimension he will add to this team, but also from the energy of Lewis Martin. The winger wasn’t on his own, with Ryan Westerman, another young gun, impressing at centre, while many young players thrown in for just the first or second time at senior level held their own.

The only drawback was Hull forcing the play a little. In a slow game, they struggled at times to get into a rhythm, and they made a few errors, but when they went direct and got to the end of their sets, there was a clear base to build on. Tasked with improving on a poor 2024 season, something which seems a guarantee this year, it will be interesting to see how that unfolds in Super League for next week and beyond.

Read more:

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/r ... ng-9929468