Round four was the time that those with aspirations of Super League in 2019 needed to show their mettle and pick up the crucial two points to put themselves in the reckoning.
Game of the round saw the Toronto Wolfpack travel to unbeaten Salford Red Devil’s while London Broncos and Toulouse had a critical Sunday afternoon meeting.
Hull KR knew that a win over Halifax would greatly improve their chances of an automatic place while Leeds Rhinos needed an improvement as they travelled to a pointless Widnes Vikings.
Saturday afternoon’s game was a rough and uncompromising encounter at the DW Stadium where a Salford Red Devils side, who finished with eleven men, won 26-16 to put a major spanner in the Wolfpack’s works.
The London Broncos did their hopes of Super League in 2019 a power of good with a crushing 34-8 win over Toulouse. Cunningham opened the scoring on eight with a try converted by Sammut but Romano responded for the visitors for 6-4. A Sammut penalty and converted tries from Dixon and Walker put the game beyond Toulouse with a 26-4 half time lead. Another Sammut penalty and a converted try for Hellewell made it 34-4 before a late try by Robin did little to bolster the visitors.
Hull KR raced into a 24-0 lead against Halifax thanks to four tries in eighteen minutes from Hall and another from Greenwood. A second half try from Saltonstall made it 24-6 before Atkin re-established the cushion. Saltonstall scored again but this time Lunt made it 38-12. Later tries from Fleming and Sharp did little for Halifax’s cause as they lost 38-24.
The game at Widnes was not one for the purists as the Rhinos struggled to the two points thanks to a 16-6 win. The visitors had taken a 4-0 lead through a Briscoe unconverted try but Olbison picked up a four pointer, converted by Inu for a 6-4 Vikings lead at the break. Second half tries from Parcell and Myler, both converted by Sutcliffe will have the Rhinos management breathing a huge sign of relief with the Widnes fans come to terms with their side playing Championship rugby in 2019.
Current Standings (4 Rounds);
Super League 2019: Salford Red Devils, Leeds Rhinos, Hull KR
Million Pound Game: Toronto Wolfpack v. London Broncos
Championship 2019: Toulouse Olympique XIII, Widnes Vikings, Halifax