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MATCH PREVIEW | U18s finish regular season with Hull clash

The final round of the Under-18s Academy regular season sees Leeds Rhinos travel to the University of Hull to take on Hull FC on Friday night, kick off 7pm, as the club prepares for a September semi-final outing.

With their top four spot confirmed with only one loss this season, four tries from Oscar Brown helped Chev Walker's side secure a home berth as they posted 64 points passed a scoreless Hull KR at AMT Headingley last Thursday night. It is the fifth time this season that the young Rhinos have scored 10+ tries in a single game and also the fourth time they have kept an opponent scoreless (Bradford, Wakefield and St Helens also didn't score a point against Leeds earlier this season). Alongside top scorer Brown extending his tally for the season to 14, Tom Richardson and Harley Thomas also ended try scoring draughts in the Under-18s competition with two apiece, plus George Brown moved onto double digits for tries this season with two against the Robins.

Victory for Warrington against Huddersfield keeps the Wolves top of the league entering this week's final round of games, and they can lock up an unbeaten season if they beat Salford on Saturday. With the exception of a result for the Red Devils, Leeds are confirmed in second place and will likely host St Helens who jumped up to second place after Huddersfield's loss. Wigan have also moved into the top four, but the Giants are still in the race on 14 points, setting up for an exciting race for third and fourth.

Hull FC bowed out of the top four race as they suffered a 32-24 loss to Castleford last time out. The Black and Whites have been inconsistent this season with five wins and six losses - far from the seven and nine win seasons in 2023 and 2024.

Francis Cummins' side opened the season with two wins against Wakefield and Leigh but suffered a run of five straight defeats to upturn their campaign. After Hull KR, Wigan, St Helens, Bradford and Warrington all inflicted defeats on the Black and Whites, they responded to hold onto a 30-22 win over the Robins at the second time of asking as well as Huddersfield and Salford in high scoring games. Their loss to Castleford saw the Tigers jump above Cummins' side in the league table, but they will be dangerous as they look to finish the season on a high against the Rhinos this Friday.