Round five of the Super Eights Qualifiers would conclude with us knowing two of the four sides who would be playing Super League in 2017 along with the one side who, barring a miracle, would be playing Championship rugby next year.

The Rhinos had a home game against the Bulldogs on Friday evening while Saturday afternoon saw the Giants travel to the Centurions. On Sunday Hull KR travelled south to take on the Broncos while the Red Devils hosted Featherstone Rovers.

There was only ever going to be one winner as the Batley Bulldogs made the short trip to Headingley to take on a Leeds Rhinos side who knew that a win would get them within a hairs breadth of qualifying for Super League next season. But the Bulldogs weren't going to make it easy. It took seventeen minutes for the Rhinos to open the scoring through Briscoe, but after holding Leeds out for the next quarter of an hour Watkins scored twice before the interval. Once again the Bulldogs defence repelled the Rhinos for a twenty minute spell at the start of the second half but Hall grabbed two in ten minutes before Burrow scored the final points of the game on seventy-one to give the Rhinos a 32-0 win.

We brought you full coverage of a sensational game at the Leigh Sports Village where the Centurions secured their, and the Rhinos, Super League future with a 48-40 win over the Huddersfield Giants.

It was the perfect start for Hull KR on the road at the Broncos when Minns scored twice in the first six minutes and Cockayne and Dixon added two more before the quarter hour for a 24-0 lead. Rather than build on their lead they eased off and let the Broncos back in with two tries of their own before the interval through Walker and Cunningham for 12-24. KR came back revitalised in the second half with early tries from Greenwood and Marsh. Barthau gave London some hope but Donaldson scored again for KR for a 40-18 lead. Donaldson scored on fifty-nine, Marsh on sixty-one, and Jubb on sixty-six as KR dominated the second half. The winning margin at 52-18 was enough to lift KR into third spot in the Qualifiers ahead of Huddersfield Giants who now drop into fourth from where they would host the Million Pound Game.

Despite an opening minute try for Featherstone's Baldwinson, Hauraki, Sau (2), Jones and Vidot put Salford into a 26-6 lead after twenty minutes. Ormondroyd got another for Rovers on twenty-four but Evalds, Murdoch-Masila and Tomkins all got over the line for the Red Devils before the interval for a commanding 44-12 lead. Featherstone drew first blood in the second half through Walters but Krasniqi got Salford moving again on fifty minutes and Hauraki soon added his second of the afternoon for a forty point lead. Dobson added Salford's eleventh try on the hour mark for 62-16. Murdoch-Masila added his second of the game on seventy minutes and Jones another two minutes later to seal a terrific 70-16 win. This victory lifts Salford up to fifth in the table and the away berth in the Million Pound game.

Current Standings

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