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No Writer
Feb 23
Gianluca Prestianni: Benfica player provisionally suspended by UEFA amid Vinicius Junior Champions League racism allegations

The 20-year-old was banned for one match, while an investigation into alleged racism directed at the Real Madrid forward continues, which could lead to further punishment, UEFA said. Prestianni denied making a racist slur, claiming Vinicius "misinterpreted what he thought he heard" at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal. Benfica, who last week said they stood by their player, said in a statement on Monday they "regret being deprived ‌of the player while the case is still under investigation and will appeal UEFA's decision". Last week's Champions League knockout round play-off first leg was stopped for 11 minutes early in the second half, after the Brazilian forward told the referee he suffered racial abuse. TV footage showed Prestianni covering his mouth with his shirt repeatedly before making comments that ⁠Vinicius and nearby team mates interpreted as a racial slur. Cameras picked up the 25-year-old telling French referee Francois Letexier he had been targeted in a comment made to him by the Argentine winger. Anti-racism protocol used UEFA's anti-racism protocol was activated but no further action was taken during the match as there was no evidence against Prestianni. Real won 1-0 in Lisbon thanks to Vinicius' goal, which he celebrated by the Benfica corner flag, upsetting local fans and players. The forward was shown a yellow card after his celebration. Both coaches, Benfica's Jose Mourinho and Madrid's Alvaro Arbeloa, talked to Vinicius at one point. Real's players threatened ⁠to leave the pitch ​as tensions rose, but the referee ​eventually allowed the match to resume. Mourinho accused of 'gaslighting' Mourinho, who was roundly criticised for his comments about the incident after the game, will not be at Tuesday's pre-match press conference ahead of the second leg in Madrid on Wednesday. The Portuguese coach appeared to suggest Vinicius had brought any abuse upon himself with his celebration, and said that "a stadium where Vinicius plays, something happens, always". Read more on Sky News:Vinicius 'deserves empathy'Fans jailed for Vinicius racist abuse Anti-discriminatory organisation Kick It Out responded by accusing Mourinho of "gaslighting". Benfica's assistant coach Joao Tralhao will undertake media duties at the Bernabeu, the club said, without saying why Mourinho would be absent. Mourinho will not be on the bench for the ‌second leg after receiving a red card for ​complaining in the first game.

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Gemma Peplow, culture and entertainment reporter
Feb 23
British rising star Robert Aramayo beats Timothee Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio to acting BAFTA - as One Battle After Another named best film

Aramayo won the award for his performance in I Swear, which tells the real-life story of Tourette's campaigner John Davidson, while Irish actress Jessie Buckley was named best actress for her performance in the Shakespeare biopic Hamnet. Paul Thomas Anderson's comedy-thriller One Battle After Another, starring DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti and Sean Penn, was the biggest winner of the night, picking up six BAFTAs including best film, best director, and supporting actor for Penn. Accepting the best film award, Anderson - who had earlier almost dropped his BAFTA for best adapted screenplay - said it was a "tremendous honour", adding: "Anybody who says that movies aren't good any more can piss right off because this is a great f***ing year." Prince William, who is president of BAFTA, and Kate were in the room to cheer the winners on, alongside other stars including nominees Emma Stone and Kate Hudson, music stars Little Simz, Stormzy and Jessie Ware, and Kylie Jenner - here in the UK to support her boyfriend Chalamet. Snacks for the stars Host Alan Cumming brought some humour to the show, offering snacks to the A-listers - Jammie Dodgers for Chalamet and Jenner, Twiglets for Rose Byrne, and an oaty flapjack for DiCaprio (who said it sounded "fantastic"). During his speech, Aramayo was cheered on by his dad, and became emotional as he told the BAFTAs audience: "I honestly cannot believe that I have won this award." The 33-year-old, who grew up in Hull, thanked fellow nominee Ethan Hawke, and said: "Everyone in this category blows me away. "When I was in school, Ethan Hawke came in to speak to us in Julliard and he gave an amazing talk on longevity as an actor, about protecting your instrument and avoiding self-destructive behaviours, and it had a great impact on everyone in the room. "So to be in this category with you tonight is incredible. Thank you, Ethan." The award was his second of the night, coming not long after he had accepted the rising star prize - the only one to be chosen by a public vote - and I Swear also picked up a third award for its casting. 'Nuclear bad fake tan' In contrast to Aramayo, Buckley was the favourite to win the best actress award after picking up the prize at the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globes earlier this year. She is the first Irish star to take home the prize. "As a little girl, I never in a million years thought I would get to make a film," she said in her speech. Recalling her early days as an actress, she said: "I had nuclear bad fake tan on, white hoop earrings, a polka-dot red skirt and had the audacity to say one day I wanted to be like Judi Dench." Buckley, who rose to fame on the talent show I'd Do Anything, coming runner-up in the series' search to find a lead to play Nancy in the 2009 West End revival of the British musical Oliver, said it was "nuts" to be on stage, winning a BAFTA, and paid tribute to the "women past, present and future who taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently". Addressing her fellow nominees, the Irish actress said: "You are all just radical and you are doing it for the naughty girls, and I'm in awe of all your incredible performances." She also dedicated the award to her daughter, saying: "It's the best role of my life being your mum and I promise to continue to be disobedient so you can belong to a world in all your complete wildness as a young woman. I am very grateful for this." Read more on the BAFTAs:The full list of winnersThe best red carpet fashion Wins for Sinners and Frankenstein Paul Mescal plays Shakespeare alongside Buckley, who plays his wife, Agnes, in Hamnet. The film tells the story of the death of their son, Hamnet, from the plague, and how Shakespeare was inspired to write Hamlet. Buckley's win was one of two for the film, which also picked up the prize for outstanding British film. Producer Sir Sam Mendes acknowledged the other nominees in the category and said: "We are not great as an industry or a culture for patting ourselves on the back, but perhaps we should." Elsewhere, period vampire horror Sinners, starring Michael B Jordan, picked up three awards, including best supporting actress for British star Wunmi Mosaku, and the prizes for original screenplay and score. Frankenstein, starring Jacob Elordi, also won three - for costume, make-up and hair, and production design.

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Amanda Akass, political correspondent
Feb 21
Over 1,000 councillors sign Palestine solidarity pledge amid claims of 'political opportunism'

With so many Labour-run councils already in jeopardy in the forthcoming local elections, campaigners believe this could be a deciding issue in key areas. But the Israeli embassy says the pledge is a "disgraceful effort at intimidation". In total, 1,028 councillors have now signed up to "uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people" and ensure their council is not complicit in what they claim are "Israel's violations of international law", such as divesting from pension funds invested in arms companies. Among the signatories is Hackney Green councillor Zoe Garbett. "I think that this is really important to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people and to make sure that we can make ethical investments," she told Sky News, adding this was an issue residents had raised with the council. "They want to see their council representing them on a national level," she said. "We know that most people really want to see an end to the genocide in Gaza, and an end to wars and conflicts all across the world, and they want to see their local representatives standing up for them." Israel denies the accusations of genocide in Gaza. Most signatories from Greens and Labour So far, 345 of the councillors who've signed the Palestine Pledge are from the Greens, followed by 338 from Labour, 104 Lib Dems, 38 members of the SNP, 17 from Plaid Cymru, 12 from Your Party, three Conservatives and many more independents. Labour has long been divided on the issue of Gaza. The prime minister's initial reluctance to call for a ceasefire after the October 7 attacks led to a drop in support among Muslim communities at the last election. Four Labour MPs lost their seats to pro-Palestinian candidates in July 2024, and the party is now under increasing pressure from other parties on the left. Read more: What's happening with this year's local elections? The pledge provides a rough indication of where it could be a factor in the local elections. In Labour-dominated Islington, 59% of councillors pledged, mostly from Labour. In Tower Hamlets, 49% have signed up, nearly all from the controlling group on the council, Aspire, and none from the Labour block of 16 councillors. In Sheffield, where no party currently has overall control, 24% have signed up - including 13 Greens and seven Labour councillors. But in Labour-controlled Bradford, 29% have signed up - the majority are Greens and independents. In Hackney - where there have been big debates over the issue of divestment - 16% have pledged, with just three of them from Labour. Pledges from Labour left While the prime minister recognised Palestinian statehood in September, many on the Labour left would like to see him do more. "I think that so many Labour councillors have been so keen to sign the Palestine pledge as councillors because it puts on record that support for Palestine and distinguishes them from the position taken by the leader of the Labour Party," Richard Burgon, Labour MP for Leeds East, said. The pledge was launched by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign - the group behind many of the protest marches in support of the Palestinian cause - and supported by four other organisations, the Palestinian Youth Movement Britain, the Palestinian Forum in Britain, The Muslim Vote and the British Palestinian Committee. 'Dangerous road to go down' Former MP Lord Steve McCabe, from Labour Friends of Israel, is concerned about the potential impact of the pledge, saying the campaign was "trying to interfere in local elections" and "encourage councils to develop their own foreign policies". "I think it's a dangerous road to go down. I think undoubtedly it could create tensions in some communities," he said. Lord McCabe added that the campaign comes at a time of heightened antisemitism. He said: "Jewish people are alarmed. They're scared to go to their synagogue. Sometimes they're frightened to walk the streets of their own community. How this will do anything to relieve tensions, I can't see." A spokesperson from the Israeli embassy in London said: "Contrary to what has been portrayed in the campaign, Israel is actively engaged in implementing the 20-point programme established by the Board of Peace. "It is regrettable to see small-scale political opportunism and grifting carried out on the backs of people in the Middle East. "The BDS [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] campaign is a disgraceful effort at intimidation that echoes some of the darkest chapters of history. Calls for boycott[s] should be rejected." Government needs to 'wake up', says senior Tory Conservative shadow communities secretary James Cleverly also shared his concern about the boycotts. "This Labour Government must wake up to the growing antisemitism in town halls across the country," he said. "Councillors, including many Labour and Green ones, are signing up to Israel boycotts, which are frequently a cover for attacking Jewish people and culture. And they are being deployed in a cynical, sectarian way to try and win votes. "Keir Starmer pledged to eradicate anti-Jewish hate from his party - but it clearly persists at the local level." A Labour spokesperson responded: "In September, alongside our international partners, the Labour government took the historic decision to recognise the state of Palestine. "Palestinians and Israelis alike have the right to live in peace, free from violence and suffering. We continue to work closely with international partners to progress phase two of the peace plan. "With Keir Starmer's leadership, we have rooted antisemitism out of the Labour Party and the government is continuing to step up its efforts to tackle antisemitism wherever it rears its head across society." Read more from Sky News:Gorton and Denton by-election: The UK's first crucial voteAnalysis: Starmer has even more to lose after latest U-turn Dan Iley-Williamson, political organiser at the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said local authorities "administer pension funds that invest more than £12bn in companies enabling Israel's crimes, including in arms firms that make the bombs and bullets used to kill Palestinians". "The mass movement for Palestine - which has brought millions onto Britain's streets - is not going away," he added. "Vote Palestine will take our demands into the May elections and deliver a message to those seeking office: If you want our votes, stand up for Palestine."

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No Writer
Feb 23
Tottenham: Relegation from Premier League a real possibility after north London derby thrashing by Arsenal

Another north London derby thrashing at home on Sunday left Spurs reeling in 16th, just four points above a West Ham side who edged closer to them over the weekend. Tottenham 1-4 Arsenal - Match report & reactionLive Premier League table | Watch FREE PL highlightsGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 With 11 games to go, Spurs are at crisis point. The Premier League ever-presents haven't won any of their last nine top-flight games and need a serious shift in form to salvage their status. Fearful form Their recent record is miserable. While the Champions League has been a welcome distraction and provided the platform for encouraging results, Spurs' showings in the Premier League have their supporters seriously concerned. Across the past dozen matches, Tottenham have the worst form of any side in the division. A win at Crystal Palace and comeback draw against Man City is all there is to shout about during a spell which has seen them take just seven points. Nottingham Forest and West Ham, the sides immediately below them in the standings, have recorded 12 points each across the same period to make up five points on their gaps to Spurs. If those three sides maintain similar trajectories, Tottenham's final two games of the season - a trip to Chelsea and then home game with Everton - could prove to be must-win. Injury issues Of course, any assessment of Spurs' struggles requires a mention of their horrendous injury issues this season. In fact, it's the second season in a row they've seen key players sidelined. Right now, they are missing more players than any other Premier League side, with 11 players unavailable. Captain Cristian Romero was suspended for the derby but the long-term absences of Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison have clearly contributed to an underwhelming attacking output this season, while Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert are now missing too. Spurs' squad is seriously stretched and, in the coming weeks, will have to juggle a Champions League knockout bid in tandem with a relegation battle. Last season, Ange Postecoglou was able to manage his injury-hit group by focusing fully on Europe and allowing the team's league form to slide. Igor Tudor has no such luxury this time. 'Bad habits' But perhaps his biggest problem to solve will be Spurs' mentality issue. "There were too many bad habits in the past," he said after the loss to Arsenal, reflecting a mindset at the club which has been criticised by recent managers Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank. "Nobody can tell me we don't have quality," said Tudor. "But we need to change, a mental switch and have this mental sharpness to be in the game from the first and second minutes and have the physicality." Flicking that switch will not be straightforward, considering the pressure of Spurs' situation. "It is a team devoid of personality," said former Spurs captain and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp. "They have to somehow show some character." Favourable fixtures? They say there are no easy games in the Premier League - and there are certainly no easy games for Tottenham right now. But the fixture list is in their favour. Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Burnley all have more difficult games left to play than Spurs, based on opposition league position. Although, given Spurs took just two points from their most recent games against the four sides below them in the league, they can take no fixture for granted. A reason for hope... The expert opinion suggests alarm bells need to be ringing in north London. "If Tottenham aren't careful, they might be in a different league," said Redknapp. "They cannot keep performing like this." Neville said: "They've underdelivered for a number of years, they've never found the right formula to get it right and this is the second season on the trot that they're in this type of position. "It's not a fluke anymore. This is a pattern of what you are and it would be the shock of the century. It would be absolutely mind-blowing to think that they could disappear out of this league, but I don't think they will." That note of optimism from Neville is backed up by Opta's supercomputer, which reckons there is just a 4.4 per cent chance of Spurs going down. Spurs fans may not feel so confident...

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No Writer
Feb 23
Jubilant Team GB return home after record-breaking Winter Olympics

The competitors landed at London's Gatwick Airport on Monday morning after securing a record-equalling tally of medals. They were led out of arrivals to cheers from the waiting public by Matt Weston, the double gold medal-winning skeleton competitor. Team GB's total haul of five medals was also achieved in 2014 and 2018, but their three golds in 2026 were more than at any other winter Games. They took home two golds in the middle weekend of the Olympics: the first for Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale in the mixed team snowboarding, and the second for Matt Weston and Tabby Stoecker in the mixed team skeleton. Weston won his second gold medal of the Games alongside Stoecker, after picking up his first in the men's singles skeleton on 13 February. Stoecker said: "This welcome has been completely overwhelming. I don't think it's quite hit me yet how much the nation had got behind us. And that's just incredible, especially for our sport, which is quite niche, so we don't always get that much attention." Read more:Who is Matt Weston?Curling 'cheating' controversy explained Nightingale was wearing his gold medal as he walked into the arrivals hall. He told Sky News: "It feels amazing around my neck. It's just a crazy thing to think that I'm a gold medallist now, it's been a long journey. "Being there, you don't realise how big it's actually become in the UK." "It's an amazing feeling to see how people are supporting us, it being a winter games just means even more for us, for all the support." When asked how he was going to unwind, Grant Hardie, curling silver medallist, said: "You put so much into so many hours of training, and it's just going to be nice to have a complete switch off". He added that he would "not think about curling for a few months at least, and [would] try to get on the golf course." Halfpipe skiing bronze medallist, Zoe Atkin, described the experience as "surreal," saying her medal was "really heavy, but it feels really good". Atkin, whose sister also won bronze in the 2018 Winter Olympics, joked that "when I get home, we're going to weigh them". She said seeing her sister win in 2018 was a "huge inspiration" and "to be able to back her up eight years later with my own bronze is just so special".

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Bethany Minelle, arts and entertainment reporter
Feb 23
Robert Aramayo: The Hull actor who's taken the BAFTAs by storm

Against the odds, he beat the likes of Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet and Michael B Jordan when he was named best actor at the 79th annual BAFTA film awards. He was also named EE rising star. Here's everything we know about the 33-year-old British actor. Aramayo was born in Kingston Upon Hull and began acting at an early age. His first role was Bugsy Malone in a primary school production of the musical. Joining the Hull Truck Youth Theatre aged 10, he performed around three plays a year with the group, including playing the treacherous pig, Squealer, in Animal Farm - his first time playing a villain. Aged 18, Aramayo won a place at the prestigious New York drama school, Juilliard. The school, which inspired the musical Fame, is considered one of the best acting schools in the world, and boasts alumni including Robin Williams, Viola Davis, Adam Driver and Jessica Chastain. Aramayo was the only British student to be accepted in his year. After playing the lead in a Juilliard production of Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange, Aramayo landed his first film role in the 2016 thriller Nocturnal Animals. Other movies followed, including Lost in Florence, Antebellum and The Empty Man, and playing brutal Captain Wingate in Palestine 36, before being cast in multi BAFTA-winning movie I Swear. Aramayo's best-known TV work includes Game Of Thrones - playing young Ned Stark, Elrond in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and psychological thriller Behind Her Eyes. Away from acting, Aramayo's a fan of football club Leeds United and has previously spoken about bonding with his dad through going to matches together. I Swear - the film that surprised the BAFTAs Aramayo's real film break came when he was cast in the lead role of Kirk Jones' 2025 film I Swear, although he probably didn't know it at the time. An independent British film with a tough sell, it's now earned him his double BAFTA win. The movie also won a BAFTA for casting. Speaking on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, the film's director, Kirk Jones told Sky News that Aramayo didn't actually audition for the role, as he wanted to avoid "just doing an impression" of Tourette Syndrome advocate John Davidson who he plays. The first time the director saw him in the role, for which Aramayo adopted a Scottish Borders accent, was when they began filming. Aramayo's performance has been widely acclaimed and has also earned him the British Independent Film Award for Best Lead Performance. Speaking in the summer, when promoting the film, Aramayo told Sky News: "[The film] was really eye-opening for me because a lot of tics that people just don't see, a lot of tics that, you know, might be perceptible, but they're almost imperceptible, you know?" He went on: "There's been a lot of people, it's been a surprising response, who have contacted me speaking about their own neurodiversity, and they actually expand this into a larger conversation about neurodiversity. And the way that we talk about and the shifting, changing ways in which we talk about neurodiversity. "If it could have if it could aid something in that conversation, as it seems to be doing, which is an amazing thing, then that would be that would be awesome." Not one, but two BAFTA wins Aramayo's BAFTA success started with him winning the EE rising star award - the only BAFTA film award to be voted for by the public. Accepting his award, Aramayo said, "I can't believe this, it really blows my mind." Referring to Davidson, on whom I Swear is based, he said: "John Davidson is the most remarkable person I've ever met and he believes there is so much more we need to learn about Tourette's. "In the words of the film, they need support and understanding." Aramayo's words had particular resonance, following several outbursts during the ceremony, when Davidson shouted offensive words, including as Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the first award of the night, for special visual effects. The BBC later apologised and removed the BAFTA ceremony from the iPlayer. Tourette syndrome is a condition that causes you to make sudden, repetitive sounds or movements - called tics. Davidson suffers from coprolalia - a condition which affects only a minority of the Tourette's population, and causes involuntary utterance of socially inappropriate words or phrases. Tics can be triggered by stress, excitement or tiredness. While there is no cure for Tourette's, it can be managed through treatment. Read more: The film fighting back against abuse and 'cheap laughs' at Tourette's expense Aramayo's first BAFTA win was then followed by a second, when he took the coveted best actor award, beating fellow nominees Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet, Ethan Hawke, Michael B Jordan, Jesse Plemons. He gave Hawke a special mention as he accepted his trophy. Aramayo said: "When I was in school, Ethan Hawke came in to speak to us at Juilliard and he gave an amazing talk on longevity as an actor, about protecting your instrument and avoiding self-destructive behaviours, and it had a great impact on everyone in the room. "So, to be in this category with you tonight is incredible. Thank you, Ethan." A close-up shot of Hawke in the audience showed the 55-year-old star reacting, rubbing his face and smiling, and at the end of Aramayo's speech, Hawke appeared to say, "That's better than a win". Aramayo's father, Michael, was in the audience clapping and saying, "We love you, Robert." Aramayo's mother, Lisa, and older sister, Laura, were also there to support him, as well as his "amazing partner". I Swear will be released in the US this year, and it will be eligible for consideration for next year's Oscars.

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Deborah Haynes, security and defence editor
Feb 20
UK has not agreed to let US strike Iran from British bases, Sky News understands

The Times first reported the lack of permission. The newspaper said, as a result of the UK's reticence, Donald Trump had withdrawn his support for a deal struck by Sir Keir Starmer to hand the Chagos Islands, which include Diego Garcia, over to Mauritius. US military plans to strike Iran involve the use of a British and American military base on Diego Garcia as well as RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, which hosts a US fleet of heavy bombers. Under long-standing agreements between London and Washington, the Pentagon is only able to launch operations from the two sites, as well as other air bases in the UK that are home to US warplanes and personnel, with advance approval from the British government. This has not yet been given in relation to any potential strike against Iran because of concern that such a mission would be a breach of international law, according to The Times. President Trump on Thursday said the world would find out "over the next, probably, 10 days" whether the US would reach a deal with Iran to end its nuclear ambitions - or take military action. He has been surging forces to the Middle East - including two giant aircraft carriers and supporting warships and jets - to increase his options for launching a significant military operation against the Islamic Republic should talks fail. Mr Trump spoke on Tuesday evening by phone with the British prime minister. The topics covered included the Iran crisis, but not the Chagos Islands. However, the following day, the president launched a new attack on Mr Starmer over the Chagos Islands deal, even after his own State Department had said it supported the UK's decision to give the territory to Mauritius and lease back Diego Garcia. In a post on social media, Mr Trump explicitly mentioned the utility of Diego Garcia and Fairford for US military operations against Iran, and appeared to suggest why it would be within international law for the UK to grant such deployments, given that it too could be under threat. "Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime" Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social site. "An attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly countries." He then said: "We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the UK, but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them." Read more:Why is the Chagos Islands deal controversial?Trump to PM: 'Do not give away Diego Garcia' The UK is not thought to be preparing to support the US in any military offensive against Iran. However, the Royal Air Force has deployed six F-35 warplanes to RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus, and sent four Typhoon jets to Qatar, as part of efforts to bolster its own defences in the event of any Iranian counterattack in response to American strikes. On the Chagos Islands deal, the government has repeatedly defended its decision to hand over the territory to Mauritius, saying it would avoid a costly legal battle while securing access to Diego Garcia for 100 years.

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No Writer
Feb 21
Super League: St Helens hold on for 20-18 win over Leigh Leopards as Leeds Rhinos run riot in 46-14 victory over York Knights

It was Saints' first home game under new head coach Paul Rowley and they made sure to get their campaign on home turf off to a winning start, making up for their opening loss to Warrington Wolves in round one. The visiting Leopards had a narrow 16-12 advantage at half-time, going over through Josh Charnley, Innes Senior and Bailey Hodgson, with Adam Cook converting two of the tries. Hull KR hold off Brisbane comeback to win World Club ChallengeSuper League 2026 - fixtures for regular season and play-offsNot got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream contract-free on NOWDownload Sky Sports app for expert analysis, video and more Meanwhile, St Helens had got on the scoreboard through Daryl Clark and Kyle Feldt, Jackson Hastings converting one plus adding a penalty from the tee. Leigh were the first to score in the second half through a Cook penalty but then it was all St Helens as a Joe Shorrocks converted try and a Hastings penalty put them 20-18 ahead. They then held on to that lead for over 20 minutes to claim the points. St Helens had to contend with an early change too as Jonny Lomax left the field with a wrist injury which saw Tristan Sailor back in the halves and Harry Robertson at full-back off the bench. Leigh rue errors as Saints grind out win With the Leopards on away turf, it did not take long for them to get going as they sliced through St Helens, Charnley getting to finish things off in the corner in the fourth minute for a 4-0 lead. However, St Helens soon hit back as, after a period of pressure, Clark scooted out from dummy half and Hastings converted to put them 6-4 up inside 10 minutes. In the process, Saints did suffer a crop of injuries as Lomax left the field and then Nene MacDonald limped off just after 20 minutes, moving Robertson to full-back and Matt Whitley into the centres. After a successful captain's challenge in the 22nd minute, the home team moved 8-4 in front as Hastings sent over a penalty conversion. The Leopards replied as Senior and Hodgson went over on the same edge within nine minutes of each other, Cook converting both to put his side 16-8 in front. Just before half-time, St Helens struck again as Leigh made a mistake by letting the restart bounce back into the home team's possession. Off the back of it Saints bided their time then sent it out wide for Feldt to acrobatically finish in the corner and bring the score to 16-12. Both sides had struggled defensively throughout the first 40 and that continued in the second half. The first points went the way of Leigh as Cook slotted over a penalty for Saints being offside at the scrum. But just two minutes later, off the back of a good set started by Robertson, Shorrocks powered over and Hastings converted to bring the scores level at 18-18. Leigh then had a period of individual errors leading to massive pressure, Liam Horne and Cook causing the issues and giving Saints ample opportunities which saw them send a penalty over for a narrow 20-18 advantage with just over 20 minutes remaining. After that, both sides chanced their arm, but it was St Helens with more territory and chances and despite not getting more points on the board they had Leigh where they wanted them. Leeds run riot against York ahead of Las Vegas Leeds put Super League newboys York Knights to the sword with a 46-14 victory at Headingley. Brad Arthur's side ran in eight tries as they registered their first win of the season. The Rhinos opened the scoring in the 12th minute when James McDonnell collected Jake Connor's kick to cross the line. Paul Vaughan hit back for the visitors after cleverly spinning the tackle and Liam Harris' conversion made it 6-6. But Leeds put their foot down and forged ahead in the 30th minute when Maika Sivo went over from close range, with Lachlan Miller finishing a team move two minutes later. Chris Hankinson then scored before half-time as the Rhinos notched their fourth try of a powerful first half, with Connor converting three. Ryan Hall sprinted clear after the restart to extend the lead and then Brodie Croft also crossed the line, minutes after Jordan Thompson had scored York's second try of the night. Harry Newman and a second for Sivo completed the scoring for Leeds, as Scott Galeano's last-gasp try for York did little to change the scoreline. 2026 Super League - key dates and what to look out forRugby League in Las Vegas: Sat Feb 28: Hull KR vs Leeds Rhinos, 11.30pm (Sky Sports)Super League's 30th birthday: Thu Mar 26: Castleford Tigers vs Bradford Bulls, 8pm (Sky Sports)Rivals Round: April 3-April 5Super League in Paris: Sat Jun 6: Catalans Dragons vs Wigan Warriors (Paris), 6:30 UK (Sky Sports)Magic Weekend: July 4-July 5Rivals Round reversed: July 23-July 26Elimination Play-offs: September 19-September 20Play-off semi-finals: September 26-September 27Grand Final: October 3, Old Trafford. Sky Sports will again show every game of the Super League live this season - including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining five matches each week shown on Sky Sports+

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