Round 16 match report- Leeds Rhinos (17) vs London Broncos (16)

James Booth • 6 July 2024

London’s best performance of the Super League season so far, the Broncos lose out in Gold Point extra time due to a Brodie Croft drop kick. However, don’t take anything away from London, what a fight that they brought to AMT Headingly Stadium. The boys gave absolutely everything to the game, left it all out on the field and have every reason to leave Leeds with their heads held high, ready for next Friday’s game against Castleford.

 

0’- Leeds kick to London from right to left.

 

3’- Good start by London. Some good meters made on their opening runs and some good defensive field position held from Leyland’s kicks on the fifth.

 

5’- Try scored for London by Josh Rourke. An excellent break by Rourke who offloads to Jacob Jones and Rourke finishes the move himself on the next phase. Kick converted by Leyland- Leeds 0- London 6.

 

7’- Bienek loses control of the ball and Leeds get the ball in the Broncos half.

 

8’- Try for Leeds, scored by Ash Handley. Martin misses the kick- Leeds 4- London 6.

 

11’- Rourke catches the high kick but produces an incorrect play of the ball- turnover for Leeds in the Broncos half.

 

13’- Penalty for London due to an obstruction by Leeds.

 

16’- Good chase by the Broncos off Leyland’s high kick but London gives away a penalty in the tackle.

 

17’- Scrum for London as Leeds knock the ball on in the tackle.

 

18’- Kennedy knocks the ball on trying to offload in the tackle. Scrum for Leeds on the edge of their half.

 

19’- Try for Leeds scored by Momirovski. There are shouts by the Broncos for a forward pass in the build-up, but the referee is confident that the pass was flat and despite Leyland’s last-ditch ankle tap tackle, the Rhinos are able to get the ball over the line. Martin converts- Leeds 10- London 6.

 

21’- A drop by Goudemand gives London a scrum in the Leeds half. A great opportunity to respond to the try that Leeds have just scored.

 

23’- London use up their six but Leeds gets the ball back practically on their try line.

 

24’- Penalty for London.

 

25’- Bienek’s pass gets intercepted, and Leeds get the ball back- a wasted opportunity for London.

 

26’- The ball is spilt by Leeds in the tackle and Jacob Jones can simply pick the ball out of the hands of the Leeds player.

 

27’- Some good ball by London, and Leyland’s high kick is contested by Macani and the ball goes dead off a Leeds hand. Goal line drop out for the Rhinos.

 

27’- Interchange for Leeds- Eseh comes on for Goudemand.

 

27’- Two interchanges for London- Tison comes on for Davis & Stock comes on for Bienek.

 

29’- Try scored for London by Rhys Kennedy. An excellent drilled move by London from the goal line drop out and Kennedy fights well to ground the ball. Leyland converts. Leeds 10- London 12.

 

31’- Penalty for London for a high tackle on Rourke.

 

32’- Try scored for London by Macani. An excellent run by Leyland who produces an excellent offload for Macani to finish off. Leyland narrowly misses the conversion. Leeds 10- London 16.

 

35’- Interchange for London- Williams comes on for Kennedy.

 

35’- Another excellent chase by Meadows off Tison’s kick and Leeds begin their set deep in their own half.

 

36’- Interchange for Leeds- Sangare comes on for Oledzki

 

38’- Some good meters made by the Broncos and Oli’s chip kick goes out of bounds, Leeds get the ball back deep in their half.

 

39’- Penalty for Leeds.

 

HALF TIME- LEEDS RHINOS 10- 16 LONDON BRONCOS

 

Half time thoughts: An excellent first half by London, who look very sharp and hungry to get their second win of the season. Rourke has looked fantastic so far, making some good runs and scoring the first try of the afternoon. Leyland also has particularly stood out so far with his excellent high kicks, conversions and passing. However, it is imperative that we keep this momentum up for the next 40- we cannot afford to switch off as Leeds have the X factor ability to take advantage of any space which is given to them.

 

40’- Leyland kicks to Leeds to start the second half.

 

43’- Leyland makes a mistake on the kick, the kick goes out on the full and Leeds get the ball back in dangerous territory.

 

44’- Six again for Leeds.

 

45’- A mistake by Leeds. A knock on by Eseh gives London a defensive break and a scrum about 10m outside of their try line.

 

47’- A spiral bomb by Meadows takes a couple of bounces before going out of bounds. Leeds gets the ball back in their half.

 

48’- An awful pass by Miller off a break is caught by Meadows. London let off after a line break by the Rhinos.

 

49’- Leyland’s kick goes dead for a 20m restart for Leeds.

 

50’- A knock on by Leeds from the Bienek tackle gives London a scrum on 5m away from the halfway line.

 

50’- Penalty for London as Leeds are offside from the scrum. Frawley was offside for Leeds.

 

51’- Double interchange for London- Kennedy & Bienek come on for Williams & Stock.

 

51’- Some handbags going on here. Kennedy is pushed by Martin and the two sides have a coming together.

 

52’- Mistake by Rourke with his pass and Leeds get the ball back. The handbags between the two sides seem to have woken the crowd up.

 

53’- A scrum for Leeds as Kershaw drops his attempted interception. Leeds have had an excellent run of play here and have a great opportunity.

 

54’- An excellent interception by Tison about 5m outside of the Broncos try line gives London the ball back. On the other side of the pitch, Handley and Meadows are nose to nose.

 

55’- Leyland’s kick goes out on the full for the second time of the match and gives Leeds another excellent opportunity in the Broncos half.

 

56’- A new set of six for Leeds who are pushing for a try.

 

56’- Leeds spill the opportunity as Handley passes the ball out of bounds and the ball is back in Broncos hands.

 

58’- Tison makes a great break and Bienek is over the line, but the referee is having a look as he believes the ball is held up in the grounding. It is a no try call on the field. The call is no try as the ball is short. It is a hand over for Leeds on their try line.

 

58’- Leeds make a mistake and then Macani knocks on as London get the ball back but there is no advantage, London have the scrum from the original Leeds knock on.

 

60’- Leeds get the ball back after some great defence. London have been really pressing for their fourth try of the afternoon, but Bienek drops the pass on the fifth chance.

 

61’- Another set of six for Leeds.

 

61’- Another set of six for Leeds- two within one minute.

 

62’- Leeds knock the ball on and London get the scrum and the ball back.

 

64’- Penalty for London for a high tackle on Josh Rourke as he collects the Leeds chip on their fifth attempt.

 

67’- The Leeds ball was bouncing and appeared to be going dead, but Macani decides to collect, and the video referee is looking to see if his foot touched the dead ball line, but his boot is about a millimetre off and London continue with their set.

 

68’- Try for Leeds, scored by Rhyse Martin. Martin converts his own try.

 

71’- Time off here as Adebiyi is down, it is looking like a leg injury. He is okay to carry on so play continues.

 

72’- Kershaw rips the ball from Miller and runs the ball about 30m before passing to Rourke who is grounded about 5m out. Play is stopped as Newman comes off the field due to an injury, who is green carded.

 

75’- This is some incredible back and forth action here. End to end stuff.

 

77’- Leeds have dropped the ball and given the Broncos a scrum in the Leeds half! A massive opportunity to get the winner here.

 

79’- James Meadows attempted drop goal hits Natoli straight in the head and nearly knocks him out. Leeds gets the ball back.

 

FULL TIME- LEEDS RHINOS 16- LONDON BRONCOS 16!! Extra time!

 

GP0’- Gold point extra time starts with Leyland kicking to Leeds.

 

GP0’- Natoli gives away a penalty for a high tackle.

 

GP1’- Leeds drop the offload and Rourke collects!! This is some game!

 

GP2’- Jones drops the ball on the fifth and Leeds get a scrum on the halfway line.

 

FULL TIME- LEEDS RHINOS 17- 16 LONDON BRONCOS. Brodie Croft nails the drop goal.

 

Penalty’s conceded: 5-3

Half time: LEEDS RHINOS 10- London Broncos 16

Full time: Leeds Rhinos 17- London Broncos 16

 

Leeds Rhinos

Team:

1)    Lachlan Miller, 2) David Fusitu’a, 4) Paul Momirovski, 3) Harry Newman, 5) Ash Handley, 6) Brodie Croft, 7) Matt Frawley, 8) Mikolaj Oledzki, 14) Jarrod O’Connor, 18) Mikael Goudemand, 16) James McDonnell, 12) Rhyse Martin, 13) Cameron Smith

Interchanges: 9) Andy Ackers, 15) Sam Lisone, 36) Sam Eseh, 17) Justin Sangare.

 

Try: Handley (8), Momirovski (20), Martin (68).

Conversion: Martin 2/3

Drop-goal: Croft.

Sin-bin: N/A

 

London Broncos

Team:

23) Josh Rourke, 2) Lee Kershaw, 3) Jarred Bassett, 21) Robbie Storey, 5) Iliess Macani, 20) Oli Leyland, 7) James Meadows, 19) Rhys Kennedy, 9) Sam Davis, 10) Lewis Bienek, 11) Will Lovell, 19) Sadiq Adebiyi, 29) Jacob Jones

Interchanges: 34) Ugo Tison, 16) Jordan Williams, 12) Ethan Natoli, 15) Marcus Stock

 

Try: Rourke (5), Kennedy (29), Macani (32).

Conversion: Leyland 2/3

Sin-bin: N/A


by Jake Watson 17 October 2025
London Broncos Commit to Continued Growth and Future Super League Ambitions The London Broncos acknowledge the Rugby Football League’s (‘RFL’) decision following its competition structure review process. The Club will continue its journey in the Betfred Championship (‘Championship’) for the 2026 season. Although the Broncos have not been selected for promotion to the Betfred Super League (‘Super League’), the Club remains confident in its vision and long-term ambitions, with the review process only strengthening our commitment to once more reaching the top level of the English game. Supported by new investment, a refreshed leadership group, and guidance from leading sports and rugby league consultants, the Broncos are delivering a clear plan for long-term success on and off the pitch.
by Jake Watson 16 October 2025
IMG GRADING 2026 London Broncos can announce the Club has received a score of 11.65 for the upcoming season which sees us move to 16th in the gradings. Hull KR’s historic on-field success in the 2025 season has lifted them to the top of the Club Grading rankings produced by the RFL and IMG to measure and drive the development of the sport. The Robins, who won their first Betfred Super League title at Old Trafford on Saturday night to follow their Wembley triumph in the Challenge Cup Final in June, become the third different club to lead the way in as many years since indicative gradings were first published in 2023 - with Leeds Rhinos and St Helens, who were top in 2023 and 2024 respectively, now second and third. Hull KR’s total score of 17.85 out of a maximum 20 across the five grading pillars – Fandom, Finance, Stadium, Community and On-Field Performance (*see below for full details) – is the highest achieved by any club over the last three years, boosted by 0.75 points for their Grand Final triumph, and 0.25 for their Challenge Cup win. They were sixth in the original indicative rankings in 2023 with a score of 15.52, climbing to fifth last year with 15.97. Nine of the 12 Betfred Super League clubs have passed the threshold of 15 points required for an A Grade – the same number as in 2024. Wigan Warriors, who finished second in the Super League table and reached their third consecutive Grand Final, are fourth in the rankings, with Leigh Leopards climbing two places to fifth. Warrington Wolves, Catalans Dragons and Wakefield Trinity all retain their A grading in sixth, seventh and eighth respectively, and Hull FC regain Grade A status and climb from 10 th to ninth after lifting their overall grading score from 14.51 to 15.06. Bradford Bulls are the highest-ranked of 15 clubs who earn a B Grade, climbing from 16 th in the 2024 table to 10 th by lifting their score from 12.15 to 14.81 – and making them comfortably the highest-ranked club from outside the current Betfred Super League. They are followed by Castleford Tigers (14.66) and Huddersfield Giants (14.65) – with those three B-graded clubs joining the nine Grade As in the 12 who secure automatic places in the 2026 Super League. Following a decision by the existing Super League clubs to prioritise expansion of the competition, a Panel has been considering the possibility of admitting two additional clubs for 2026 – with their decision to be announced on Friday morning. Those clubs who do not secure Super League places will play in an expanded Betfred Championship in 2026, following a recent decision to merge the Championship with Betfred League One. Batley Bulldogs and Whitehaven, the two clubs who were not graded in 2024 because of delays in their submissions, come into the table in 21 st and 29 th respectively – Batley graded B with a score of 8.16, and Whitehaven one of nine clubs who receive a Grade C with a score of 6.23. Keighley Cougars and Newcastle Thunder have not been given a score having failed to meet the deadline for submitting the necessary information, although as in the cases of Batley and Whitehaven last year, the RFL will work with those clubs to assess what their score and ranking would have been should it be relevant in terms of their share of central distributions. Salford Red Devils have slipped from 12 th with a score of 13.97 to 15 th with a score of 12.65, with their Finance score reflecting information submitted for the 2022-24 seasons – and not including the 2025 season. They have had 0.25 points deducted from their score as a result of the deduction of two competition points for breaching operational rules in their team selection for the Round One fixture at St Helens in February. Salford are one of three clubs, with Featherstone Rovers and Halifax Panthers of the Betfred Championship, who are the subject of HMRC petitions, which could affect their Finance score for 2026 should the petitions be confirmed. Full details of the five pillars are published in the 2025 Club Grading Handbook Rugby League Grading Handbook_2025FINAL.pdf Ends…
by Jake Watson 14 October 2025
UPCOMING FAN EVENTS! London Broncos Fan Group invite you to join them on Saturday 18 th October at 7.30pm at Belushi’s Sports bar in London Bridge. The Group have secured a bar within the venue called The Dugout with and live music. The event is completely free of charge and everyone is warmly invited to attend to engage with other London Broncos fans as a social event. Their programme of events for the remainder of the year are as follows: Welcome Party - Saturday 18 th October 7.30pm 2 nd Ashes Test – Saturday 1 st November 2pm 3 rd Ashes Test – Saturday 8 th November 2pm Broncos Christmas Party – Saturday 6 th December 7.30pm Please note Saturday is a FREE event and no tickets are required. #WeAreLondon
by Rick Jones 9 October 2025
Darren & Adam Hills to present the Community Club Awards: BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY!
by Jake Watson 9 October 2025
London Broncos add Tongan international Siliva Havili to 2026 squad The London Broncos are pleased to confirm the signing of Siliva Havili, a versatile forward and seasoned international with Tonga, as preparations continue for the Club’s proposed return to the Betfred Super League in 2026. Havili, who has enjoyed a decorated NRL career with South Sydney Rabbitohs and Canberra Raiders, adds toughness, utility value, and leadership to the Broncos’ roster. Renowned for his uncompromising style of play and his ability to slot seamlessly into both hooker and lock, Havili has represented Tonga at the highest level and played in some of Rugby League’s fiercest contests. The Broncos’ pursuit of Havili reflects a strategic approach to squad building: blending internationally-proven performers with returning members of the current squad to maintain cultural continuity. His signing represents another step forward in the Club’s wider plan to present London with a rugby league team of genuine calibre and ambition. “Siliva is the type of player who makes everyone around him better,” said Director of Rugby, Mike Eccles. “He’s a competitor, a leader, and he’s experienced success at international level. Adding someone of his quality to our environment is a huge statement of intent.” For London fans, the arrival of Havili is not just about one player. It highlights the momentum of a recruitment programme that aims to deliver Super League-quality rugby league to the capital, inspiring a new generation of supporters and re-establishing the Broncos as a destination club. #WeAreLondon
by Jake Watson 7 October 2025
London Broncos secure former Kangaroos international Reagan Campbell-Gillard for 2026 season The London Broncos are excited to announce the signing of Australian international prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard, one of the NRL’s most formidable forwards, ahead of a potential return to the Betfred Super League in 2026. Campbell-Gillard, who has starred for the Penrith Panthers, Parramatta Eels, Gold Coast Titans and represented both Australia and New South Wales in State of Origin, brings unmatched pedigree and presence to the Broncos pack. A World Cup winner and multiple-time international, he arrives in London with the experience, resilience, and professionalism required to lead from the front. His addition marks a significant milestone in the Broncos’ journey to assemble a squad that can compete with the very best in the Super League. While the Club awaits the outcome of its licence application, the recruitment of Campbell-Gillard is a clear demonstration of intent and ambition. It underscores the Broncos’ commitment to delivering a high-performance environment capable of inspiring supporters across the capital and competing with rugby league’s strongest clubs. Campbell-Gillard himself expressed his excitement about the challenge ahead: “London is an incredible city and the Broncos are a club with a proud history. The chance to help build something special here, at such an important moment for the game in the UK, was too good to turn down.” For fans, the arrival of a world-class prop signals not only the Club’s determination to succeed but also the broader momentum of rugby league in London. The Broncos are building a squad that blends international quality with home-grown talent, a combination designed to both deliver results on the field and reignite the passion of a diverse supporter base across the capital. #WeAreLondon
by Rick Jones 6 October 2025
Awards to be presented by Adam Hills on 23 Oct - Buy Your Ticket Today!
by Rick Jones 4 October 2025
Help them travel to Leeds to play Super League Clubs - PLEASE DONATE TODAY!
by Rick Jones 1 October 2025
All funds support Community Rugby League in London - join the lottery today!
by Jake Watson 29 September 2025
Betfred Championship Awards 2025 York Knights will dominate the awards for the 2025 Betfred Championship when they are presented at Rugby League’s Awards Night in Manchester next Tuesday (October 7) – two days after they host Toulouse Olympique in the Grand Final at the LNER Community Stadium. The Knights have already secured the League Leaders’ Shield and the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup, their first ever win at Wembley Stadium, in a 20-match winning run stretching back to April. Three of their players – their captain and half-back Liam Harris, the veteran hooker Paul McShane, and non-stop prop Jordan Thompson – form the shortlist for the 2025 Betfred Championship Player of the Year, following a poll of the head coaches of the competition’s 13 clubs. The coaches also voted almost unanimously that Mark Applegarth should be the 2025 Betfred Championship Coach of the Year. Jack Smith, a 20-year-old goalkicking three quarter who joined London Broncos on loan from Leeds Rhinos in May, breaks York’s monopoly with the Young Player of the Year award, again decided by a poll of coaches. The winner of the 2025 Betfred Championship Player of the Year Award will be announced at the Rugby League Awards Night on Tuesday October 7, when Mark Applegarth and Jack Smith will be presented with their awards. #WeAreLondon
More posts