Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers scene-setter: opposition star man, key battle, previous meeting and verdict

Both sides need the competition points, Leeds to keep in touch with the top-six and Tigers for breathing space in their relegation battle against bottom club Wakefield Trinity. Here’s a scene-setter.

Betfred Super League round 14

Where and when?

Venue: St James’s Park, Newcastle.

Date: Saturday, June 3.

Time: 6pm.

Tigers’ star man: Castleford have struggled for form as a team this year, but ex-Rhinos man Jack Broadbent has made a positive impression in his first season at the club. Broadbent, who can play anywhere in the backs, has pace and skill, is a good finisher and will be keen to impress against his former teammates.

Key battle: Both squads include a Pontefract-born ball-playing loose-forward. On his day, Joe Westerman, who is set for his 400th career appearance, makes Tigers tick while Cameron Smith is a leading tackler for Leeds with a habit of creating and scoring important tries.

Previous meeting: March 16, 2023. Betfred Super League round five. Castleford Tigers 14 (Tries Faraimo 2. Goals Widdop 3), Leeds Rhinos 8 (Try Myler. Goals Martin 2). Referee: Aaron Moore. Attendance: 7,458.

Verdict: Neither team is in particularly good form, with Rhinos having lost four of their last five games in all competitions and Tigers boasting just two wins from 14 competitive matches this term. Rhinos have played well in patches, which is more than Castleford have recently, but Tigers beat Leeds earlier this year and will fancy their chances of backing that up against injury-hit opponents. Adversity, though, tends to bring the best out of this Rhinos side and a repeat of last week’s effort would probably be good enough, especially if they start well and build an early lead.