Hull KR v Leeds Rhinos: Both teams out to prove title credentials in latest chapter of growing rivalry

Once a club that looked up to Leeds with envy, Hull KR are now the team to beat and arguably Yorkshire's best hope of prising the trophy from Wigan Warriors' grasp.

That shift is reflected in KR's recent record against the former kings of Super League, with the Rhinos yet to defeat Willie Peters' side in six attempts since the start of 2023.

The gap has been narrow – all six losses came by margins of 10 points or fewer – but the Robins have developed the winning habit that Leeds mastered for so long.

As they prepare for the competition's toughest assignment at Craven Park on Sunday, Brad Arthur has drawn on the experience of a painful 20-14 home defeat to Rovers in April.

"We're looking forward to it," he said.

"We're finding different ways to win and enjoying that part of it – but we face another beast, another different challenge this week.

"We feel like we did a good job the last time we played them and got ourselves in a winnable position but just lacked a little bit of belief and control at the back end of the game.

"Hopefully we can still be swinging at the 70-minute mark and have learnt from our errors against them last time."

Hull KR appeared to be dead and buried at Headingley after heading into the final 15 minutes with 12 men and an eight-point deficit.

But Rovers rallied with three tries either side of Ash Handley's red card to pull off a memorable win and maintain their stranglehold over their rivals.

While the return fixture will not define either team's season, it does carry symbolic weight.

For Rovers, it is a chance to reinforce their burgeoning status and take another step towards the League Leaders' Shield; for Leeds, a statement win at Super League's toughest away venue would provide the clearest indication yet that they are ready to challenge again.

Arthur is under no illusions about the task ahead but insists the focus must remain internal.

"They start really well," he said on KR.

"We can focus on how good they are – and we have the utmost respect for how good a team they are – but our biggest challenge is making sure that we're good.

"If we can walk away from there after putting in a performance that we're really happy with, we'll have a real good indication of where we sit, depending on how the result goes.

"We're only going to learn more about ourselves if we give the best account of us. We're chasing the best version of what we can do."

The first-versus-third clash pits together two of Super League's form teams.

While Rovers have reeled off 11 straight wins to take their remarkable 2025 record to 20 victories from 21 games, the Rhinos have finally found the consistency they have long craved.

Arthur's men have won six matches since their last meeting with KR – the only blip a below-par showing at St Helens – to emerge as the biggest threat to the top two.

"They're a good team," said Peters, whose side hold a four-point advantage over second-placed Wigan. "They've worked their way up the ladder.

"We knew what they were going to bring the first time and know what they'll bring this Sunday. It's going to be a great game, a great spectacle.

"We value our fans so much. It's the 25th time (in a row) that we've sold out our allocation at home, which is a remarkable achievement for the club. We're really grateful to the fans."

Should the Robins continue their stunning form against Leeds, the Craven Park faithful would have even more reason to believe this could be their year for a maiden Super League title.

The Rhinos, meanwhile, have rediscovered their identity under Arthur and will have their say in the title race.

"I'm not surprised," added Peters. "I knew what Brad had done in Australia and what he'd bring.

"But I don't think they were too far off. They value defence now, whereas in the past they probably valued the attack more. It was just a matter of flipping that a little bit, which Brad has done, and tidying up a few things.

"I don't think it required a major change. They've got a good team and personnel that can hurt you anywhere on the field. It was just what Leeds wanted to be known as, which is more around their defence.

"They've improved there and showed last week that they can score some points. It's been no surprise to me.

"They've got unpredictable players and we'll just have to keep finding a way on Sunday."