Leeds and Salford endured defeat in their final league games before they meet in Saturday’s Challenge Cup final – on a day when two Red Devils players were revealed to have tested positive for Covid-19, throwing their team selection for their first Wembley appearance in 51 years into doubt.
A much-changed Leeds were beaten 32-6 by Warrington, who leapfrogged them into the play-off places despite a courageous effort from a Rhinos side filled with inexperienced teenagers.
Salford were beaten 24-22 by Hull KR, but they have a far more important problem to overcome before Saturday.
Two unnamed members of Ian Watson’s squad will miss the final after returning positive tests while two more players had inconclusive tests and are self‑isolating as a precaution. Salford said they played the league game against Hull KR to preserve the integrity of the competition, despite also missing a number of key players with injury.
Leeds had the luxury of being able to rest almost the entirety of the side who will play at Wembley but their young replacements did the club proud. They trailed by just two points against a much stronger Warrington side going into the final 25 minutes before a late flurry from the hosts saw them pull away and move above the Rhinos in the table.
Toby King’s early try suggested Warrington would have a straightforward night, before the young Leeds side responded superbly, eventually levelling through a Sam Walters try. The Wolves were clearly aware they were in a battle when, just before half‑time, they opted to take a penalty from Stefan Ratchford to make it 8-6.
The introduction of the Great Britain hooker Daryl Clark after the break was the ultimate difference. His spark around the ruck was game-changing, leading to tries in the final half-hour for Matty Ashton, Ben Currie and Clark himself in the dying minutes to ensure a sluggish Warrington did enough to secure a much-needed victory.
Salford were only beaten in the final kick of the game against Hull KR, having earlier levelled the game on four occasions. Jamie Ellis’s last-minute penalty was the difference, following earlier Rovers tries from Ben Crooks, Jordan Abdull and a brace from Mikey Lewis to strengthen their hopes of avoiding the wooden spoon. In the day’s other game Hull FC keep their faint play‑off hopes alive with an 18-16 victory against Huddersfield.