Round three of the Super Eights Qualifiers would see two clear favourites for Super League 2017 emerge while two sides would finish the weekend needing miracles for their shot at the big time.

Salford and Hull KR met of Friday night in a crucial match for both sides before the Rhinos travelled to London on Saturday afternoon to take on the Broncos. Sunday afternoon saw Featherstone Rovers host the high flying Leigh Centurions while the Huddersfield Giants were at Mount Pleasant to face whipping boys the Batley Bulldogs.

Both Salford and Hull KR were desperate for the two points as the two sides met at the AJ Bell Stadium. Mantellato and Greenwood both grabbed early converted tries for the visitors for a 12-0 lead before Caton-Brown got the Red Devils within eight point after an earlier Mantellato penalty. Sio added a third KR try on the half hour and the Robins held a convincing 22-6 half-time lead. O'Brien scored a converted try ten minutes into the second half to reduce the arrears to ten points but a seventy-seventh minute Kelly drop goal and a dying minutes Minns try sealed a crucial win for the side from East Hull to keep alive their hopes of a top three finish. The Red Devils now look in all sorts of trouble.

On Saturday the Leeds Rhinos travelled to the Trailfinders ground in Ealing and we had full match coverage as the Rhinos grabbed a nervous 42-28 victory.

There was a humdinger of a game at the Big Fellas Stadium where Featherstone came close to upsetting the Leigh Centurions, the Championship minor premiers scoring at the death to make certain of the two points. Maitua and Brown both scored within the opening eight minutes for the Centurions to rush them into a 12-0 lead but a converted Walters try and a Briggs penalty narrowed the deficit to just four points at the interval. Dawson scored on fifty-eight for Leigh and Higham added another five minutes later for a 22-8 lead but Featherstone weren't finished. Briscoe and Briggs both scored for 18-22 for a nail-biting last ten minutes before a Briggs penalty put Leigh six points ahead and a Hock converted try on the final hooter grabbed another Leigh victory and maintained their 100% Qualifiers record.

It looked like the Bulldogs were going to be in for another massive thrashing when they went 48-0 down at half time to the Huddersfield Giants with nine tries from; Cudjoe, Ormsby, Crabtree, Symonds (2), Wardle, and Brierley(2). Anyone would have forgiven them for throwing in the towel but they came out for the second half re-invigorated and despite the Ginats scoring two more tries through Cudjoe and Brierley the home side comfortably won the second half with five tries from Squires (2), Scott (2), and Ulugia for a final scoreline of 28-58.

The Giants big win lifts them into an automatic Super League 2017 position with Leigh and Leeds while Hull KR and London Broncos are now in the Million Pound Game positions.

There is a weeks break for the Challenge Cup Final but when we come back in early September it will be Huddersfield v. London, Leeds v. Salford, Hull KR v. Leigh and Batley v. Featherstone.

Current Standings

Playing Super League in 2017: Leeds Rhinos, Leigh Centurions, Huddersfield Giants
Million Pound Game: Hull KR v. London Broncos
Playing Championship in 2017: Salford Red Devils, Featherstone Rovers, Batley Bulldogs