The London Broncos faced a significant challenge during their Championship match against Doncaster, narrowly avoiding their first defeat of the 2026 season.
Under the guidance of coach Jason Demetriou, the Broncos found themselves trailing at halftime and then fell further behind when Edene Gebbie scored a third try for the Dons, pushing the score to 16-6. At that moment, it appeared that Richard Horne’s team was on the verge of pulling off a stunning upset in the Championship.
However, the Broncos mounted a comeback in the final 15 minutes, scoring four consecutive tries. Captain Reagan Campbell-Gillard, fullback Morea Morea, half-back Dean Hawkins, and a late contribution from Luke Smith all found the try line, leading to a final score of 30-16. This victory allowed London to maintain their perfect record in the league this season.
With the Barrow Raiders suffering a loss to Newcastle Thunder on Saturday, the Broncos now sit comfortably at the top of the standings with nine victories from their nine league matches. Meanwhile, an intense competition is unfolding just below them.
Among the day’s standout performances were the Widnes Vikings, who delivered a commanding defeat to Halifax Panthers with a score of XX-0. This win allowed Allan Coleman’s team to close the gap on the second-place team and join the group of contenders just beneath the Broncos. Ryan Edge notably contributed to the Vikings‘ success by scoring a hat-trick.
Oldham also remains a strong contender, sitting just two points behind the Raiders in second place after a decisive victory over Workington Town. Kieran Dixon scored two tries, while Riley Dean added a hat-trick in a dominant performance against the Cumbrians.
Remarkably, six teams are now separated by only a single win from second to seventh place, intensifying the competition as the summer approaches.
In other matches, Hunslet triumphed over Whitehaven with a score of 30-10, while Dewsbury Rams achieved a significant win against Rochdale Hornets. Sheffield Eagles also secured a victory against Salford in a high-scoring encounter.
Additionally, the Swinton Lions managed to earn their first point of the 2026 season, ending their match in a rare draw at 22-22 with Keighley Cougars, who remain in mid-table with only three wins this season.
Championship Results: Sunday, April 26
- Swinton Lions 22-22 Keighley Cougars
- Batley Bulldogs 46-10 Goole Vikings
- Doncaster 16-30 London Broncos
- Oldham 74-4 Workington Town
- Rochdale Hornets 18-54 Dewsbury Rams
- Sheffield Eagles 38-26 Salford RLFC
- Whitehaven 10-30 Hunslet
- Widnes Vikings 54-0 Halifax Panthers
Bildquelle: Foto von Virginia Marinova auf Unsplash
