The Super Eights Qualifiers will take seven rounds to determine who will play in Super League in 2017 and who will fight out next season in the Championship. Four Super League teams will all fancy their chances to retaining their status but the top four Championship sides will all hope to spring enough upsets to get themselves into the Million Pound Game.

The opening round saw the Leeds Rhinos travel to Featherstone, Leigh Centurions host the London Broncos, Salford Red Devils take on Huddersfield Giants and Hull KR host Batley Bulldogs.

Over six and a half thousand packed the stands in Featherstone for the first visit of Leeds in almost two decades. We brought you a full match report as the Rhinos eased to a massive 62-6 win.

Saturday evening saw action at the LSV as the Centurions hosted the weeks only all Championship fixture as they welcomed London Broncos. A Ridyard penalty, and two converted tries from Dawsoon and Brown against Soward penalty and a converted Hellewell, saw the home side to a 14-8 interval lead. After the break Maitua, Brown and Dawson, both with their seconds saw Leigh race to a 34-8 lead but an amazing last five minutes from London saw them score tries through Pewhairangi (2), Ackers and Bussey, three of which were converted to lose by 34-30.

Despite falling behind to an early Leak try, Hull KR then scored thirty-six unanswered points through Thornley, a Minns hat-trick, March and Greenwood before Lillycrop scored right on the hooter. At 36-12 at the interval the game was already over and it didn't get any better in the second half for Batley. Cockayne, Greenwood, Blair and Mantellato all scored second half four pointers for 58-12 before a last minute Bulldogs try through Rowe reduced the arrears to forty points.

In the only all Super League team clash of the round the Salford Red Devils piled more misery on a beleaguered Huddersfield Giants. Griffin, Caton-Brown and Hauraki gave the Devils a commanding 20-0 half time lead which Masila extended early in the second half. Mason and Roberts grabbed two tries within a three minute spell for the Giants before Caton-Brown scored another two tries to complete his hat-trick and condemn the Giants to a 34-12 defeat.

Current Standings

Playing Super League in 2017: Leeds Rhinos, Hull KR, Salford Red Devils
Million Pound Game: Leigh Centurions v. London Broncos
Playing Championship in 2017: Huddersfield Giants, Batley Bulldogs, Featherstone Rovers