HULL KR 6 LEEDS RHINOS 58
STEPHEN IBBETSON, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Sunday

TWO Super League games in Las Vegas, two complete mismatches.

While the ability of Wigan in full flow to overwhelm Warrington as they did last year wasn’t out of the question, few could surely have foreseen Hull KR being on the end of such a battering.

If any side were to do it though, it would be Leeds, who inflicted two defeats on the Robins during their treble-winning year.

And just like on those occasions, here the Rhinos’ pace, bravery on the ball and willingness to utilise the width of the pitch – even the significantly narrower confines of Allegiant Stadium – proved an effective antidote.

This time it was to the most dramatic effect, as Willie Peters suffered by far the biggest defeat of his glittering reign as coach – the margin also condemning them to a week at the foot of the league table.

Hull KR may be world champions among a full four-trophy haul but the message here was clear – there are challengers to their throne, and Leeds are chief among them.

They appear to have made a further step forward from last season, and the biggest difference-maker is a player until now confined to the sidelines.

Maika Sivo gave an indication of what he can do on his Super League debut against York, scoring two tries, but on the Vegas stage the 32-year-old made an almighty mark with an individual performance for the ages.

He scored Leeds’ opening two tries, and did the hard yards to set up another in the first half to blast Brad Arthur’s men into a remarkable 28-0 lead by the break, before dotting down twice more in the second period to help complete a staggering result.

Jake Connor, who also dazzled under the bright lights, provided both Sivo’s first-half tries, the first with a looping pass and the second a quick tip on after returning skipper Ash Handley offloaded on the ground.

Connor converted both, then struck a 40/20 from which halfback partner Brodie Croft stepped inside two defenders to slice over.

Keenan Palasia then charged his way to the line, bashing away fullback Jack Broadbent – in for injured Arthur Mourgue – in the process.

When Hull KR did mount an attack, Sivo plucked a short drop-out from the air and galloped 70 metres downfield. Play was immediately shifted to the other flank and Ryan Hall grabbed the 350th try of his illustrious career.

Connor missed his first conversion attempt off Hall’s try, while the closing minutes of the half saw both Jez Litten and Lachlan Miller have tries ruled out for obstruction.

Leeds showed no let-up in the second half either. Croft, moments after a try-saving intervention in recovering an Oliver Gildart kick, was put in by Danny Levi and Connor’s fifth goal made it 34-0.

Then Connor’s high kick was fumbled by Tom Davies and Miller spread the ball wide for Sivo to complete his hat-trick and, with a sixth and final Connor goal, bring up 40 points.

Only on 65 minutes – one later than Warrington in their 48-24 defeat twelve months earlier – did Hull KR finally register points through Joe Burgess.

But the winger quickly spoiled that by dropping possession close to his own line, and Leeds shifted the ball straight wide for Sivo’s fourth.

Sub Chris Hankinson converted, as he did for both of Cooper Jenkins’ tries in the final three minutes as the prop twice broke through the totally shattered Robins to end the rout.

GAMESTAR: Super League has a new superstar and his name is Maika Sivo.

GAMEBREAKER: Sivo’s two early tries had Leeds on their way and they never looked back.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Despite his four tries, Maika Sivo’s best play was the breakaway from a Leeds drop-out, leading to Ryan Hall’s try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Maika Sivo (Leeds)
2 pts Jake Connor (Leeds)
1 pt Kallum Watkins (Leeds)

MATCHFACTS

HULL KR
14 Jack Broadbent
2 Tom Davies
3 Peta Hiku
4 Oliver Gildart
5 Joe Burgess
6 Mikey Lewis
7 Tyrone May
8 Sauaso Sue
9 Jez Litten
10 Tom Amone
11 Dean Hadley
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Subs (all used)
15 Sam Luckley
16 Jai Whitbread
17 Rhyse Martin
19 Karl Lawton
18th man (not used)
18 Jack Brown
Also in 21-man squad
21 Noah Booth
22 Bill Leyland
29 Tom Whitehead

Tries: Burgess (65)
Goals: Martin 1/1

RHINOS
1 Lachlan Miller
2 Maika Sivo
3 Harry Newman
4 Ash Handley
5 Ryan Hall
6 Brodie Croft
7 Jake Connor
15 Cooper Jenkins
23 Danny Levi
21 Keenan Palasia
11 Kallum Watkins
12 James McDonnell
17 Cameron Smith
Subs (all used)
9 Jarrod O’Connor
10 Tom Holroyd
14 Chris Hankinson
25 Ben Littlewood
18th man (not used)
16 Ethan O’Neill
Also in 21-man squad
19 Jeremiah Mata’utia
26 Tom Nicholson-Watton
27 George Brown

Tries: Sivo (6, 15, 56, 69), Croft (22, 51), Palasia (29), Hall (34), Jenkins (77, 79)
Goals: Connor 6/7, Hankinson 3/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24, 0-28; 0-34, 0-40, 6-40, 6-46, 6-52, 6-58

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull KR: Jez Litten; Rhinos: Maika Sivo

Penalty count: 3-4
Half-time: 0-28
Referee: Jack Smith
Attendance: 45,719