Four-try Sivo Stars As Leeds Thrash Hull KR In Vegas

ByMichael Short
BBC Sport Senior Journalist


497 Comments


Betfred Super League - Las Vegas


Hull KR (0) 6


Try: Burgess


Goal: Martin


Leeds Rhinos (28) 58


Tries: Sivo 4, Croft 2, Palasia, Hall, Jenkins 2


Goals: Connor 6, Hankinson 3


Maika Sivo's spectacular four-try screen helped Leeds Rhinos whip Hull KR 58-6 in Las Vegas.


The Fijian winger crossed two times and created a 3rd try as the rampant Rhinos led 28-0 at half-time.


And Sivo scored two times more in the second half as Leeds took apart the protecting Super League champs.


Hull KR beat Brisbane Broncos to win the World Club Challenge simply 10 days ago but have now lost their opening two Super League video games of the season.


Defeat by newly-promoted York was a shock - and the way they were dismissed at Allegiant Stadium, the home of NFL side Las Vegas Raiders, left head coach Willie Peters cautioning his side might be dealing with "a long season".


Sivo signed up with the Rhinos before the 2025 season but missed out on the whole project after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.


And following 2 tries on debut it took him eight minutes to force his way over for the very first try of the game after Harry Newman collected Brodie Croft's high kick and the ball was worked out to the left flank.


He went over in the corner for his second - following a lengthy video review after a Jake Connor hand-off - Connor then converting for a second time.


After tries from Croft and Keenan Palasia, Sivo declared the ball from under his own posts and ran 70 metres for an attack which ended with Ryan Hall scoring.


A Hull KR attempt was prohibited for an earlier before completion of the very first half, however Leeds continued to dominate in the 2nd period - with Croft adding a 6th shot before Sivo finished his hat-trick.


His fourth shot followed a Joe Burgess alleviation for the Robins 15 minutes from time - then a late Cooper Jenkins double sealed a resounding triumph for Leeds.


Hull KR no place near good enough - Peters


"Individuals I sympathize with are the fans who paid hard-earned money to come here today and watch that," Peters said.


"To spend or conserve cash to come and see their team play and we provide an efficiency like that, it's simply no place near great enough.


"We require to all look at ourselves - myself at the top of that - and discover out why we got that performance.


"We require to ensure that we action more than words and throw down the gauntlet, because if that's the template of what we're going to do this season, it's going to be a long season."


A pleased Leeds coach Brad Arthur said his side had "had a ball" and applauded his players' "real cravings".


"We desired to ensure that we did ourselves happy and the fans and did the competition justice," he included.


"We came here to make a statement and we did it tonight," Sivo informed Sky Sports.


"The kids, each and every single one of us, did our task tonight."


Hull KR: Broadbent; Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess; Lewis, May; Sue, Litten, Amone, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella.


Replacements: Luckley, Whitbread, Martin, Lawton.


Leeds Rhinos: Miller; Sivo, Newman, Handley, Hall; Croft, Connor; Jenkins, Levi, Palasia, Watkins, McDonnell, C. Smith.


Replacements: O'Connor, Holroyd, Hankinson, Littlewood.


Referee: Jack Smith