12 May 2025

MATCH PREVIEW | Rhinos Under-18s take on Red Devils this Saturday

Leeds Rhinos Under-18s look to extend their stay at the top of the Academy Championship table on Saturday afternoon as they face Salford Red Devils at Salford Stadium, kick off 12pm.

An 80-0 triumph over Bradford last time out saw Chev Walker's side move top of the league table for the first time in 2025 as they overtook Warrington Wolves - who are also unbeaten - on points difference. A convincing start to the year has seen the young Rhinos win all four of their meetings so far, score 200 points and concede only 22 points, so it was no surprise that 11 players from the club were handed their country debuts on Saturday as Yorkshire defeated Lancashire in a convincing 42-10 result in the first Academy Origin match of the year. Top scorer Harley Thomas converted his league form into representing the white rose as he scored twice, whilst Georg Brown, Marcus Qareqare, Zak Lloyd and Joe Diskin also found the try line to continue confident seasons so far.

Games against Wakefield and Salford this month take the Under-18s season to the halfway point of the season, as the Rhinos then look ahead to finishing their campaign in the same form that they started it. A second meeting with Bradford sets up meetings with St Helens and an enticing game against Warrington later in July, but the Red Devils are the first test in line this weekend.

Salford are yet to win a game in 2025 after they returned to the Academy competition for the first time since 2016. Whilst the club has been running their development pathway programme, it wasn't until 2023 that the club secured its Elite Academy Licence to re-join the Under-18s competition alongside its Super League counterparts.

So far this year, the club has yet to win a game as they have lost all four of their games. Huddersfield beat the Red Devils twice at the end of March and the start of May, whilst Bradford also defeated Danny Barton's side. Wakefield were handed the two league points when the two sides met at the start of April, although the game was abandoned due to a serious injury in the second half.

The next month sees the Red Devils take on Leeds, Wigan and Leigh in three consecutive home matches, before they host St Helens at the end of June in what is a tough run for the Salford side.