The Super League XXIX weekend continues on Saturday when another two matches are played out with both of them having a potentially big impact in the race for the playoffs with the regular season entering the home straight.
Once again both of the matches are live on the TV for us to enjoy but this time you won’t need multiple devices to be able to keep across all of the action because they kick off at different times so there is no reason to miss a single minute if you don’t have to.
St Helens vs Hull KR (15.00 – Sky Sports+)
The first game of the day is huge for both teams involved as St Helens look to continue their chase for the top six when they play host to the leaders going into the round of games Hull KR, who know that if they win out from here they will claim the League Leaders’ Shield.
St Helens are looking to fend off a charging Leigh Leopards and Leeds Rhinos in the race for the final playoff spot and will need to be a lot better than they were against the Wigan Warriors at the Magic Weekend last week. Injuries haven’t helped and didn’t help at Elland Road but even so they would have expected a much stronger performance from themselves than they delivered and now back on home soil they need to show that they are up for the battle. Hull KR have been brilliant in recent times. Their win at Magic was their sixth in succession and a tenth in their last 11 matches and they are flying home now. It isn’t a fluke either. Going into the round of matches they were the highest scoring team in Super League and had the best defence too and that is never a bad combination. Saints have Jonny Lomax back to help them in this one but they will still be without the likes of Jack Welsby, Lewis Dodd and Mark Percival so they still have players out. Hull KR are without Oliver Gildart for this one but they have a ready made replacement for him so the impact of that shouldn’t be too disastrous. I would be surprised if St Helens are as bad as last week but Hull KR are flying right now and taking them to cover 3.5 points makes sense given the form of the two sides and the available personnel.
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Salford Red Devils vs Huddersfield Giants (17.30 – Sky Sports+)
The second match of Saturday afternoon has suddenly become a pretty big one for the Salford Red Devils as they take on the Huddersfield Giants knowing that the Leeds Rhinos have already closed the gap on them and Leigh Leopards have a great chance to do it on Sunday too.
Salford enter the day two points above the Rhinos, who have them covered on point difference, in the race for the last playoff spot so this is a match that they really can’t afford to come up dry in. The good thing for the Red Devils is that Huddersfield Giants have nothing to play for, although they showed at the Magic Weekend that they haven’t yet downed tools for the season so if Salford do feel the pressure of having to win then Huddersfield have the personnel to take advantage and damage the hopes of the home side. That win for the Giants was just a first in four in Super League though and only a second in nine in this competition although they will know the other victory was against this very opposition which will give them confidence. Salford won’t be helped by the bans picked up by Tim Lafai and Ollie Partington last week while Huddersfield have Joe Greenwood back for this one. Team news would certainly favour the Giants but Salford have won their last five at home this term and seven of their last eight with the Wigan Warriors (twice) the only team to have won at the AJ Bell. That puts me off taking Salford on but the lack of Lafai makes me cautious about asking them to cover a start so I’ll leave this one alone.
Tips
Back Hull KR (-3.5) to beat St Helens for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with Betfair
