David Anderson

Burnley manager Nicky Hayen has urged Zian Flemming to remain at the club despite reported interest from Coventry, Leeds and Brentford. Flemming, a 28-year-old Dutch forward signed from Millwall for £7m, scored twice late in a 2-2 Championship draw with West Ham. Hayen said Burnley's style suits Flemming and could allow him to become even more influential, while acknowledging that the goals may make him harder to retain. Burnley are also pursuing further signings after adding five players, including Manchester City loanee Max Alleyne.

Castleford Tigers overcame coaching disruption and a 14-12 deficit to beat Hull FC 18-14 at the MKM Stadium. Renouf Atoni, Mikaele Ravalawa and Liam Hood scored for Castleford, while Hull replied through Joe Batchelor, Harvey Barron and Lewis Martin. Hood’s 68th-minute try, converted by Tom Weaver, secured Castleford’s third away win of the Super League season and lifted them to ninth, four points clear of Hull in 12th. Castleford director of rugby Chris Chester praised the team’s resilience, while Hull interim coach Andy Last criticised his side’s poor start and lack of consistency.

Burnley agreed a £27.3m deal to transfer defender Maxime Esteve to RB Leipzig, two years after signing him permanently from Montpellier. Esteve played a key role in Burnley’s Championship title win under Scott Parker, making 46 league appearances and 100 overall for the club. Following Burnley’s relegation from the Premier League, he joins a Leipzig side that finished third in the Bundesliga.

Leeds Rhinos extended their Super League lead with a dominant nine‑try performance over Bradford Bulls, highlighted by Ash Handley’s hat‑trick and milestone 150th career try. Leeds controlled the match, capitalising on early momentum and consistent attacking play, while Bradford briefly threatened with two quick Ethan Ryan tries before fading. Strong contributions from Brodie Croft, Jarrod O’Connor, Jake Connor and Maiko Sivo helped Leeds surpass 100 league tries for the season. Post‑match reactions saw Leeds coach Brad Arthur praise his side’s form and Handley’s leadership, while Bradford’s Kurt Haggerty cited inadequate resilience and quality despite improved second‑half effort.