Hull KR vs Leeds Rhinos Prediction: 5/2 Litten to light up Las Vegas

Fresh from their stunning World Club Challenge win over Brisbane Broncos, Betfred Super League champions Hull Kingston Rovers are in Las Vegas this Saturday to show off the best of the British game against Leeds Rhinos (16:00 local, 00:00 Sunday GMT, Sky Sports Action).

The Allegiant Stadium is the venue for this annual showpiece event, and two of the most exciting teams in the competition should put on a show worthy of the occasion. Read on for my Hull KR vs Leeds Rhinos prediction, the latest team news and full match odds from title sponsors Betfred.

Team News

Leeds are hopeful that captain Ash Handley will be available for the first time this year. The England man suffered a pre-season groin injury that has delayed the start to his 2026, but having travelled to Nevada the outside back has come through training okay. If boss Brad Arthur opts to change the side that destroyed York Knights last week, then Handley will likely take the place of the versatile Chris Hankinson.

Prop Mikolaj Oledzki is out though as he recovers from a rib injury, while new signing Jack Bird has not travelled. Youngsters Max Simpson and Alfie Edgell remain out long-term but the Rhinos will otherwise be at full strength.

Dean Hadley looks set to play in the Rovers forwards despite having a rough ride with injuries already this year. He was ruled out of KR's shock opening-round Super League defeat at York with a rib injury. and then suffered a fractured eye socket in the epic win over Brisbane. But having travelled to Vegas and looking visibly much better, Hadley is set to play. If he does not make it, then former Leeds forward Rhyse Martin will most likely come off the bench to start.

Full-back Arthur Mourgue, though, is out, with the unfortunate Frenchman suffering a painful pectoral injury during the World Club Challenge. Mikey Lewis moved to full-back during that famous Brisbane win, but he will be back in the halves this weekend in Vegas, with the ever-reliable Jack Broadbent in line to deputise for Mourgue. Broadbent is a player I really like and was so unlucky to be left out of the Grand Final last year.

Hull KR vs Leeds Rhinos Odds

The world champions are the favourites to light up Sin City, with Rovers a 4/7 shot for the win and Leeds 6/4.

The draw is an 18/1 chance, while Willie Peters' side give up a 4.5-point start on the two-way handicap market. In that setting, Rovers are 10/11 and the Rhinos 5/6.

Betfred have a number of Price Boosts available for the headline fixture of the weekend, with Rovers -12 now 2/1 from 7/4, while Anytime Tryscorer prices on Jake Connor (4/1 from 3/1) and Peta Hiku (3/1 from 9/4) have also been extended. There's now a 7/2 mark about Joe Burgess and Maika Sivo both crossing the line, boosted from 11/4.

Handicap 3-way: Hull KR -6 @ 11/10

I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to this game. These two are in my opinion the most watchable teams in the competition (sorry Wigan fans) and I am very confident they will showcase the very best of the British game to the global audience via Vegas.

I woke up this morning confident that Leeds could upset the odds (The Rhinos have a 6-point start with Betfred) but have been a little less bullish as I have sifted through stats and rewatched Rovers' brilliant Brisbane win. They were so, so good - can Leeds cope with that? In a word, no, I don't think they can, but that for me is not the issue here. More pertinent is the likelihood of the champions being able to back up that level of performance on the other side of the world this week.

Sure, Leeds have made the same trip, on the same timescale, but while Hull KR and Brisbane were clobbering each other, the Rhinos had pretty much a free pass against a feeble York side who were a shadow of the team that upset KR in Round 1 when their eyes were most likely elsewhere.

So I think this could be close. And I think Leeds can win. But am I brave enough to back the Blue and Amber? Not really. I can't go against this Rovers team because they are becoming consistently flawless in the big games. You do not win a treble otherwise, and I have no obvious reason to believe their levels will dip significantly here.

Leeds can make the Grand Final this year, but they remain a work in progress and are still a few cars behind Rovers in the race.

The Rhinos do like playing KR - winning two of the three meetings in 2025. But this is a one-off game, at a big neutral venue in a unique atmosphere that right now Rovers are the team more accustomed to. Remember that World Club Challenge win last week was across the city on 'foreign' soil...

I am siding with Peters' men to triumph in Vegas.

Jez Litten Anytime Tryscorer @ 5/2

There are loads of great options for my second selection this week. We are doing Super League Double Delight once again so if you fancy our First Tryscorer market then rest assured we will bring some real value - if your selection scores first and then goes on to score again in the match then we will double your price!

Jai Whitbread scored two tries for Hull KR in Round 1 - albeit in vain in that shock defeat at York when eyes were probably on the Brisbane and Vegas games. He is 3/1 to score anytime this week and 18/1 to score first. So if you fancy that and he goes on to grab another double, that is a ridiculous 36/1 coming your way.

Most backed are likely to be the Rovers wingers Joe Burgess (10/11) and Tom Davies (11/10) while for Leeds, powerhouse winger Maika Sivo looks the man at 11/10.

Will Mikey Lewis rise up on the big stage again? 5/4 says he will score in this match, while if Broadbent steps into Mourgue's shoes and scores, that will be 6/4.

The man I have backed so far this season for the Rhinos is full-back Lachie Miller. He is 2/1 to cross this week and seems certain to score given I am not backing him.

I'm going to go instead for one of the Robins' unsung heroes. Jez Litten was brilliant against Brisbane and is consistently excellent every time I watch him play. He was a try creator in that World Club Challenge win, and 5/2 says he will be a scorer in Vegas.

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