Widnes Vikings vs Leeds Rhinos - Free Rugby League Betting Tips

Widnes Vikings’ Bad Luck Shows No Sign Of Running Out

While the fall from grace that Leeds Rhinos have suffered has made more headlines – they were last years winners, after all – Widnes Vikings have had a season so bad that they make their opponents look like champions once more. They won a mere three of their 23 initial Super League games and have so far failed to win a single match in the qualifiers.

Their losing streak stands at over a dozen games strong. We’d like to say that these results aren’t a fair reflection on the team’s performance but after a certain point, you have to conclude that the buck stops with them. They lost their opening qualifiers match 21-20 against the London Broncos. It was a respectable outing for sure but at this point, they need victories, not compliments. They struggled much more in a 32-6 match against Salford, and there was little doubt who the better team here was.

Finally, they come into this game with no points in the qualifiers following a 42-22 loss to Toulouse, leaving them staring down the deep dark pit of relegation. There has been the occasional glimpse of optimism in their games but in all honesty, not nearly enough.

Leeds Rhinos Tentatively Begin To Feel Some Optimism

Make no mistake, Leeds Rhinos have had an absolute disaster of a season. It’s almost impossible for Widnes Vikings vs Leeds Rhinos match previews to ignore this shocking collapse in quality, even as things have gotten better. They came into the Super League as defending champions and ended up at the bottom of the pack: now scrambling for their place in the league itself in the qualifiers.

So far though, this appears to have been the push they needed, especially when you consider their last game before this phase of the tournament was that disastrous 48-12 loss to Warrington. Nonetheless, they rose to the challenge against Toulouse in a performance so much more confident than much of what we’ve seen this year, it felt like a completely different side. They succeeded yet again in a 48-32 win against the London Broncos, and finally felt like they were on the verge of a comeback.

These hopes were dampened but not extinguished in a 38-36 defeat to Hull KR. They at least lost with dignity in an invigorating contest that could have gone either way. So, Leeds aren’t quite out of the woods yet, but with better performances and some points under their belt, they can at least see the light beyond the trees.