Super 8s - The Qualifiers: London Broncos v Leeds Rhinos
Last Updated: 17/08/18 5:56pm
Championship side London Broncos play host to Super League side Leeds Rhinos in their latest Super 8s Qualifiers clash on Sunday.
Both sides made a positive starts to their Qualifiers campaign last weekend with the Broncos claiming a dramatic last-minute 21-20 victory over Widnes and the Rhinos running out 48-22 winners against Toulouse.
The victory over Toulouse was only the Rhinos' second success in their last 10 games. In contrast, the Broncos are riding an impressive run of form that has seen them claim seven wins and a draw in their last eight games.
Broncos coach Danny Ward revealed this week he is dreaming of taking his side back into the Super League for the first time since their relegation from the top flight in 2014.
"I've got a lot of ambition to coach at the top level with London Broncos and to make them one of the best clubs in the game," he told the Daily Express.
"I want to make it work because the game needs to spread around the country and beyond to give it that national-game feel.
"The boys loved winning at Widnes last week, but we need to back it up to make it count for anything at the end of the season.
"Certainly, to be the man who takes London back to Super League would mean everything to me."
Ward has had the luxury of being able to name an unchanged 19-man squad for the Rhinos visit including the influential Jarrod Sammut who kicked match-winning late drop-goal against Widnes.
Leeds Rhinos' nine-try victory over Toulouse was tainted by an ACL injury sustained to Ryan Hall.
Following scans, it was announced that the England international has been ruled out for the rest of the season, and as a result, has played his last game for the side.
"He [Hall] has been a big player for the squad this season and I know how much he wanted to help the side during our Qualifiers campaign to make sure he finished his time at the club on the best possible note," said director of rugby Kevin Sinfield.
"Our medical team will be in touch with the Roosters to ensure Ryan has the best possible support to get back to playing as soon as possible."
Luke Briscoe comes into the squad to replace Hall while Stevie Ward looks set to return to action after passing his return to play protocol from concussion.
Ward replaces Dom Crosby in the 19-man squad, who begins his two-game suspension this weekend, and Jack Walker is also included for the trip to Ealing.
The two teams are meeting for the second time in three seasons in the Qualifiers, the last encounter between the two in London was in 2016. On that day Leeds were victorious by 42-28 and nine of the Rhinos squad running out at the weekend were involved.
London Broncos: Eddie Battye, Robert Butler, Michael Channing, James Cunningham, Matt Davis, Kieran Dixon, Ben Evans, Daniel Harrison, Ben Hellewell, Daniel Hindmarsh, Mark Ioane, Elliot Kear, Eloi Pelissier, Api Pewhairangi, Jay Pitts, Jarrod Sammut, Tom Spencer, Alex Walker, Rhys Williams.
Leeds Rhinos: Carl Ablett, Luke Briscoe, Tom Briscoe, Adam Cuthbertson, Brad Dwyer, Brett Ferres, Ashton Golding, Jimmy Keinhorst, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Joel Moon, Anthony Mullally, Mikolaj Oledzki, Nathaniel Peteru, Richie Myler, Brad Singleton, Liam Sutcliffe, Jack Walker, Josh Walters, Stevie Ward.