Leeds Rhinos captain Ash Handley hopeful of being fit for Hull KR, says Las Vegas games great for rugby league
Skipper Ash Handley has spoken about his prospects of playing in Saturday’s huge Las Vegas showdown with Hull KR.
Handley missed Rhinos’ first three competitive games this season after suffering a groin injury during Cameron Smith’s testimonial against Bradford Bulls a month ago. But he has been named in Leeds’ 21-man squad for Saturday’s match and is hopeful of being given the all-clear to run out at Allegiant Stadium.
Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post in Vegas, Handley said: “I’m all right, grateful to be able to be here. I have got a chance for Saturday, I’ll just have to see how I go this week. I haven’t done that much with the team so far so I want to get into it with the boys and go from there.”
Handley missed the final four rounds of the 2025 regular season - though he returned for the play-offs - with a groin problem which required surgery. The new stand-alone captain revealed his current layoff is a fresh injury and not related to the previous issue.
“It’s completely new, a bit freakish, really,” he said. “It’s a bit of nervy stuff, there’s a bit of scar tissue going on with my previous groin. It’s the same side, but a different thing. It’s nothing major, just one of those things, I suppose.”
The centre admitted it has been a frustrating few weeks. “I felt great,” he said. “I still feel good, but you train hard, get yourself into a good position and then something like that happens. It is part of our game, but I am just glad it hasn’t been a major injury and I can get back out there.”
Saturday will be the first time Rhinos have played a league match outside Europe. It is officially a Hull KR home fixture and two competition points are up for grabs. “It is a big game, obviously,” Handley added. “It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to play here.
“I’ll be looking forward to it if I get the chance, but I just want to get into the season anyway, I just want to get rolling and get going and get back on the rollercoaster of rugby league. I have been to Vegas before, when I was 21, so nine years ago now, but it is different this time. It is crazy, it doesn’t feel real - it is a surreal place, but I am enjoying it and looking forward to the week.”
This is rugby league’s third year in Vegas and the second time Betfred Super League has featured after Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves took part last season. “It puts our sport on a global platform,” Handley enthused. “It gets new eyes on it, gets people watching it who might not. It brings a lot of noise to the sport, especially in England. It’s great, why not do it - why not branch out and do something new? We need everything we can get to put the game in a positive light for us.”
The Robins arrived in Vegas last Sunday as newly-crowned World Club Champions following their epic victory against Brisbane Broncos three days earlier. They also hold the Super League trophy, league leaders’ shield and Challenge Cup and Handley reckons this weekend is an opportunity to showcase the European game at its best.
“It is going to be a highly competitive game,” he added. “Obviously Hull KR are flying at the moment, they have won it all and we are hungry for that. We want to do something special this year so it’s going to be a massive game. They are the best in the competition, the trophies prove that, so everybody will be chasing them down. We will be as well.”
The Yorkshire Evening Post’s coverage of Leeds Rhinos in Las Vegas is in association with Betfred Super League. Saturday’s showdown between Rhinos and Hull KR at Allegiant Stadium is an early highlight of a packed year of club rugby league action which also includes the Challenge Cup final at Wembley on May 30, Magic Weekend’s blockbuster return to Everton FC’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on July 4-5 and the Super League Grand Final on October 3 at Old Trafford. Experience live Super League. League Hits Different. To guarantee your place, visit Super League | Tickets.