Hull Kingston Rovers vs Leeds Rhinos predictions: Robins to flex their muscles at home
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- Hull KR are top of the table after 16 matches
- Leeds Rhinos are third and eight points behind Hull KR
- Recommended bet: Hull KR -10.5
Leeds Rhinos will look to cut the gap between themselves and leaders Hull Kingston Rovers when they travel to Craven Park for Sunday's Super League encounter.
This tie should be the fixture of the round as two of the leading teams in the division go head-to-head.
Hull KR have set the standard all season to sit top of the table with a four-point lead over Wigan, while they are eight clear of Leeds in third.
Team News
Robins boss Willie Peters is still without James Batchelor as he is dealing with a throat problem.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Micky McIlorum return from injury, with Eribe Doro and Leon Ruan dropping out of the squad.
Rhinos coach Brad Arthur has named the same 21-man squad after last weekend's 48-30 win over Leigh Leopards.
James Bentley picked up an illness and did not feature last week, but Arthur will be hopeful that he can feature this Sunday.
The stats
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The two sides last met in Round 9, with Hull KR winning 20-14 at Headingley.
Leeds have won six of their last seven games since that defeat, with only St Helens getting the better of them in recent weeks.
Hull KR have won 11 matches in a row in all competitions, including the Challenge Cup final, and they have only conceded an impressive 132 points in 16 games.
Prediction
The Robins have been too good for nearly every team this season, but Leeds will travel across Yorkshire with a point to prove.
It is likely that his match starts like a Grand Final, with both teams refusing to give much away as they try to build a platform.
Leeds' forwards pack should be able to compete with Hull KR's, although it is Peters' team that have shown they can get the job done on a more consistent basis.
Only Wigan have beaten Hull KR in the last calendar year and Leeds should ultimately fall short on their travels.
Arthur's team are certainly improving, but they conceded 30 points last week to Leigh, which shows they are still defensively vulnerable.
Hull KR force teams into mistakes and play at a relentless pace and standard, so they should be able to cover the handicap as a result.
