As rugby league’s takeover of Las Vegas gets into full swing, Sky Sports’ Megan Wellens takes you behind the scenes of the hectic opening days…
Once I got over the initial jet lag (I’m not kidding, I haven’t gotten over it yet), my first job in Las Vegas was to see the sights, and 17,000 steps later I had completed just that.
Now, this isn’t my first time coming to Las Vegas. I came here 10 years ago when I was 19 years old, and what I felt this time was that rugby league was in full swing.
Sky Sports Rugby League’s Brian Carney wasn’t lying when he said this was like rugby league on another level, but nothing drives home that opinion more than seeing an advertisement for Saturday’s game pitching itself to American audiences as “the NFL without the pads” on giant LED billboards between iconic hotels such as Caesars Palace, the Bellagio and the New York New York. In fact, there is a big advertisement running on the side of my hotel.
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Leeds Rhinos’ Jarrod O’Connor, Danny Levi and Cameron Smith joined Brian Carney to take on Hull KR at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Not only that, but the fans themselves are making this an event. Super League and NRL jerseys are visible every few minutes as you walk down the Strip, and fans stop and interact with players and coaches they see walking outside.
Each team has its own bar for fans to enjoy as well. At the Venetian’s Rockhouse, Hull KR fans proudly showed off their World Club Challenge trophies as fans talked about what had been the best week of their lives. This is a fan-first event that will bring fans closer to their heroes in this city, making it a once-in-a-lifetime trip for fans.
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Hull KR wingers Tom Davis and Noah Booth ride the SlotZilla zipline on Fremont Street in Las Vegas.
Even under the media-mandated “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign, the interaction with fans didn’t stop for the players. Elliott Minchella enjoyed chatting and laughing with the visiting Australian fans, but one member of the group didn’t really want to talk to the Hull KR captain, who was wearing a Brisbane Broncos cap, hinting at the game that he might not be too fond of the East Hull team at the moment.
The rugby league takeover has trickled down to the locals, and my taxi driver told me he was thinking of going to Fremont Street for a party on Thursday night while his friends had tickets for Saturday’s game.
Rugby league is right at the forefront of one of the world’s most iconic cities.
Super League is sweeping Las Vegas once again!
Media event at nightclub shows we do things differently
The festive rugby league atmosphere continued into Wednesday, with excitement reaching new levels I never thought possible.
When the Fan Hub opened at Resorts World, British fans were of course the first to go there to listen to the entertainment and enjoy conversations with their sports heroes scattered throughout the day.
With James Graham on the microphone and Luke Keeley in attendance, rugby league fans were treated to a variety of entertainment all in one place.
I chatted with fans and was jet-lagged, tired and overwhelmed, but there was less than nine minutes of cloud-free time to head to Las Vegas to watch the team.
Adjacent to the fan hub was an unassuming nightclub that was scheduled to host media events and fan autograph sessions.
Once it started, I knew I was watching rugby league on a scale I had never seen before.
The venue quickly filled to capacity and when the six captains took to the stage, they showed once again why Super League has some of the best fans in the world.
Ash Hundley was welcomed by Leeds Rhinos fans with a song
When Ash Hundley took the stage, his personal chant echoed around him. When Elliot Minchella appeared, “Champion” and “Red Red Robin” were the songs of choice. KR fans jeered at Leeds, but the Rhinos responded head-on.
The Australian players were clearly shocked by the level of noise made by their British compatriots.
myself? I was proud to see the sport improve and the fans showing exactly why the sport should improve.
It was clear this was going to be a week to remember, with several captains affectionately calling the England fans “mental” and the fans getting even louder.
Before coming, we were told that Tuesdays and Wednesdays were the “quiet” days for the trip.
If it’s quiet, visit Fremont Street on Thursdays.
2026 Super League – Important dates and highlights
Rugby League in Las Vegas: Saturday 28th February: Hull KR v Leeds Rhinos, 11pm (Sky Sports) Super League 30th Birthday: Thursday 26th March: Castleford Tigers v Bradford Bulls, 8pm (Sky Sports) Rivals Round: 3rd April to 5th April Super League in Paris: Saturday 6th June: Catalan Dragons v Wigan Warriors (Paris); 6:30 UK (Sky Sports) Magic Weekend: 4th July – 5th July Rivals Round Overturn: 23rd July – 26th July Elimination Playoffs: 19th September – 20th September Playoff Semi-Finals: 26th September – 27th September Grand Final: 3rd October, Old Trafford.
Sky Sports will continue to broadcast every Super League match live this season. Exclusively live, including two matches from each round, the remaining five matches will be shown weekly on Sky Sports+.
