Rugby League Lights Up Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS — After a week brimming with excitement about rugby league, the much-anticipated games finally kicked off Saturday night at Allegiant Stadium, bringing even more surprises and vibrancy to the atmosphere.

In the opening match between English Super League teams, Leeds Rhinos took a decisive win over Hull Kingston Rovers, crushing them 58-6, marking their status as World Cup Challenge title holders.

Hull was expected to win this match, yet it was Micah Sivo, a former star from the Australian National Rugby League, who stole the show. He scored four tries—one of which was like an NFL touchdown—and showcased immense speed with a thrilling 60-meter run for another try.

The Leeds fans, clearly thrilled, sang along to The Killers’ popular song ‘Mr. Brightside’ throughout the game, adding to the energetic atmosphere.

The second match of the night featured two NRL teams, highlighting the Queensland Cowboys against the Newcastle Knights. This clash turned out to be more competitive than the earlier game, with the Knights claiming a surprising 28-18 victory.

Despite being predicted to struggle in the upcoming season, the Knights initially led 12-0. The Cowboys rallied to even the score at 12-12 by halftime.

In the second half, Brandon Best scored a try for the Knights after receiving a pass from Kalyn Ponga, pushing them to an 18-12 advantage after Ponga’s successful conversion kick with just over 30 minutes left.

A minute later, Dominic Young added another try, but Ponga’s conversion attempt hit the uprights, still leaving the Knights ahead at 22-12.

Four minutes following Young’s try, Murray Taulagi of the Cowboys scored again, narrowing the Knights’ lead to 22-18.

One of the most intense moments came with just under nine minutes to go when Brayden Barnes from the Cowboys executed a brutal hit on Ponga, earning himself a trip to the ‘sin bin’ as a penalty consequence.

A minute after this dramatic moment, the Knights responded with a try from Trey Mooney, solidifying their position with a score of 28-18 after another conversion by Ponga.

The final match of the evening was quite the thriller. The Canterbury Bulldogs, touted as the strongest of the four NRL teams in Las Vegas this week, edged out the St George Illawarra Dragons, winning 15-14 with a sudden-death drop goal in the second overtime—think of it as a hybrid between an NFL field goal and a dropkick.

This concluded a remarkable night for the NRL, marking a successful end to their third year of introducing rugby league to audiences in the United States. For those unfamiliar, it’s a lot like NFL-style playing but with non-stop action over an 80-minute stretch.