Leigh Centurions: Championship title a 'huge achievement'

Leigh beat Super League side Salford in the Challenge Cup in April

Leigh have won the Championship for a second successive season after their 40-24 victory over Dewsbury Rams.

The win meant the Centurions continued their record of winning every Championship home game since 2014.

They now head into The Qualifiers, where they will have the opportunity to earn promotion to Super League for the first time since 2005.

"It's a huge achievement for the players two years running," head coach Paul Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester.

"This club's just gone from strength to strength. It's ugly at times on the field, but magical at times as well."

Leigh have already defeated Super League sides Salford Red Devils and Wakefield Wildcats in the Challenge Cup this season, and they will face both again in the Super 8s.

The Qualifiers will take place after the next round of fixtures, with the league to be made up of the bottom four teams from Super League and the top four from the Championship, to decide places in the top tier for the next season.

The Centurions will be presented with their Championship trophy at the Leigh Sports Village this Sunday after the game against Doncaster.

"It will be party time on Sunday - we're building for bigger things and that's certainly the middle eights," added scrum-half Ryan Brierley.

"If we're going to be competitive then we need to be a lot better than tonight."

Ryan Brierley (right) has scored 32 tries in 25 appearances for Leigh this season