Ahead of rugby league’s trip to Las Vegas for 2026, Sky Sports’ Megan Wellens takes you through some of the key storylines to follow from Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos…

Whenever a sport has a showpiece spectacle, there are more eyeballs than usual.

Wigan showed Warrington why they were top dogs in Vegas in 2025 and now, the Rhinos and Robins will clash to become the second Super League team to win at Allegiant Stadium when they do battle on Saturday February 28 into Sunday March 1, live on Sky Sports.

Neither team will need any extra motivation – they are playing in Vegas! But every contest has those underlying narratives that threaten to come to the surface on the big day.

So, let’s see what is at stake for Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos…

The battle of the halfbacks: Connor vs Lewis

They are two of Super League’s star men and once again, Jake Connor and Mikey Lewis will be going head-to-head at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.

There is nothing better than seeing two playmakers battle it out and you can be sure these two will spend 80 minutes trying to get the other’s number.

When England took on Australia in the Ashes at the end of 2025, Lewis was chosen in the squad and started the second Test, with Connor controversially not picked for his country.

However, with a World Cup on the horizon this year down under, both players will be looking to show throughout this year that they deserve a place on the plane and what better way to start than with a big Vegas win.

We do not know yet who the new England head coach is, but we know whoever it is will be watching, and if Connor and Lewis can show they can do it once again on a big stage, it will only help their causes.

Indeed, we might even see them paired up in Australia as England’s six and seven!

Off to the NRL: A chance to impress

Two players who will be looking to make their mark in Las Vegas are Leeds Rhinos’ Harry Newman and James McDonnell.

At the conclusion of the 2026 season, both players are heading down under to test themselves in the NRL.

Newman penned a two-year deal with new franchise Perth Bears, which will come into effect when his Rhinos deal finishes in the autumn.

McDonnell played every game for Leeds in 2025 and secured a spot in the Super League Dream team. At the end of 2026, he will link up with Newman at Perth Bears.

With four NRL clubs in North Queensland Cowboys, Newcastle Knights, Canterbury Bulldogs, and St George Illawarra Dragons also involved in the Las Vegas spectacle, they will know they will have future competitors watching on and will want to show that Perth have picked up two of Super League’s stars.

Do Leeds have KR’s number?

You may have heard a lot about Hull KR and their incredible 2025, picking up a history-making treble and becoming just the fifth team in the competition’s history to be crowned champions.

However, across that year, they played Leeds Rhinos three times. In their first match, they beat the Rhinos 20-14 in a close contest. However, Leeds then won 14-8 and 28-6 in their next two meetings.

Some would say that Brad Arthur’s Rhinos have had Hull KR’s number, playing a style that troubles them, and they will take confidence from that heading into the big dance in Sin City.

The Robins will be aware of that too and want to quickly rectify it.

It should be tasty!

Knocking Hull KR off the top of the world

Hull KR get to head to Las Vegas as the champions of the world. They get to walk onto NRL turf as the side that just beat their champions the Brisbane Broncos in a dramatic 30-24 win.

They get to say they are the best of the best.

For Leeds Rhinos, that will only work as motivation against a side they have had the number of lately.

They will want to show that they can overcome the team that beat the NRL’s best.

However, Hull KR will only want to continue their incredible start and make even more history for their club. Four trophies in the cabinet and a win in Las Vegas would only make it sweeter.

2026 Super League – key dates and what to look out for

• Rugby League in Las Vegas: Sat Feb 28: Hull KR vs Leeds Rhinos, 11.30pm (Sky Sports)
• Super League’s 30th birthday: Thu Mar 26: Castleford Tigers vs Bradford Bulls, 8pm (Sky Sports)
• Rivals Round: April 3-April 5
• Super League in Paris: Sat Jun 6: Catalans Dragons vs Wigan Warriors (Paris), 6:30 UK (Sky Sports)
• Magic Weekend: July 4-July 5
• Rivals Round reversed: July 23-July 26
• Elimination Play-offs: September 19-September 20
• Play-off semi-finals: September 26-September 27
• Grand Final: October 3, Old Trafford.

Sky Sports will again show every game of the Super League live this season – including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining five matches each week shown on Sky Sports+