Round 1
Salford City Reds 26 l. Leeds Rhinos 30

2007 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Rhinos hold off Salford comeback
Mon February 12, 2007
Source: www.leedsrugby.com

The Rhinos travelled to the Willows to start their engage Super League season for the 100th league meeting between the sides.

Salford have never beaten Leeds in Super League however they came close last season when they only lost by a point in the last meeting between the sides.

Kevin Sinfield got the new season underway and it was not long before the Rhinos had opened the scoring. A good drive by Kylie Leuluai took Leeds close to the line before Burrow fed Brent Webb who ducked under a high shot to score. Sinfield pushed the conversion attempt wide but the Rhinos led 4-0 after two minutes.

Four minutes later the Rhinos doubled their lead through Danny McGuire. Gareth Ellis was only just tackled short of the line but McGuire then throw a big dummy and went in for the score. Sinfield added the conversion this time to make it 10-0.

The home side hit back after nine minutes through winger John Wilshere. There looked to be little on at first but Burrow got his feet stuck and was unable to get the tackle in on Aaron Moule and he drew the last man and passed to Wilshere to score. The conversion was missed but the game was back in the balance at 10-4.

Salford came within four points of the Rhinos after 15 minutes when Kevin Sinfield was penalised for a high tackle on McGuinness. The Reds half back was falling as he came through but the penalty was justified however the reaction from the Salford players was over the top and Alker was lucky to go unpunished for his part in a brawl after the high tackle.

The game descended into near farce after that with referee Ian Smith penalising Leeds ten times in succession and the Rhinos frustrations clearly showing as the ill feeling between both sides escalated into mini skirmishes involved Bailey and Haggerty and Senior and Halliwell.

However, the Rhinos gained their composure and regained their ten point lead when Rob Burrow burst through close to the line to score after 34 minutes. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 16-6.

Just three minutes later the visitors increased their first half lead when Matt Diskin ran across the face of the defence before finding Rob Burrow. He passed to Toopi who stepped and charged for the line before producing a great offload to Brent Webb to score his second try of the game. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 22-6 at half time.

The home side scored the first try of the second half after two minutes when John Wilshere wrong footed Jordan Tansey, playing as an emergency winger after Ashley Gibson had limped off in the first half, and stretched for the line. Robinson was off target with the conversion.

Three minutes later it looked as if the City Reds would cut the deficit even more when Robinson broke down field however a great tackle by McGuire stopped him and then Keith Senior was sin binned for lying on.

The Rhinos were falling foul of Ian Smith too regularly and it was killing their ability to get hold of possession. After Toopi had been penalised for a flop Salford moved the ball down field and Aaron Moule scored from dummy half from short range after Alker had gone close. Robinson added the conversion to make it 22-16 after 49 minutes.

Leeds finally managed to keep hold of the ball for a period of time and gained their first points of the second half. McGuire produced a great reverse kick which Webb read perfectly and the full back would have completed his hat trick had he not been held back by Mark Edmondson however unlike Senior earlier, the Salford player remained on the pitch. Sinfield however duly kicked the penalty to stretch the Rhinos lead to 24-16 after 59 minutes.

Leeds were unlucky not to get a try when Gareth Ellis had the ball hit from his hand as he stretched for the line but the luck went their way after 69 minutes when John Wilshere lost control of the ball after taking a cross field bomb by Danny McGuire and Jordan Tansey was on hand to touch the ball down ahead of Clinton Toopi. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 30-16.

With ten minutes to go Salford hit back as the home side refused to throw in the towel. This time it was Gareth Haggerty who got the try after a driving run from close range. Robinson added the conversion to make it 30-22.

There was even more drama when Aaron Moule created the extra man out wide on a flowing move across the entire width of the pitch, Robinson could not add the conversion though but the Rhinos lead was cut to just four points at 30-26.

There were some tense moments at the end but the Rhinos hung on for an opening day victory.

Salford: Hodgson, Halliwell, McGuiness, Moule, Wilshere, Dorn, Robinson, Coley, Alker, Jewitt, Edmondson, Littler, Finnigan.
Subs: Korkidas, Haggerty, Adamson, Brocklehurst

Leeds: Webb, Donald, Toopi, Senior, Gibson, McGuire, Burrow, Bailey, Diskin, Leuluai, Lauitiiti, Ellis, Sinfield.
Subs: Scruton, Jones-Buchanan, Tansey, Thackray.

Referee: Ian Smith
Attendance: 8,072

Report source: www.leedsrugby.com

Article: Smith pleased with win


Headingley Insight: Leeds v Salford
Fri February 9, 2007
Source: www.leedsrugby.com

In this weeks edition of Headingley Carnegie Insight, Leeds coach Tony Smith looks ahead to the Rhinos opening game of the season at Salford City Reds this Sunday, kick off 3pm.

HOW BIG A CHALLENGE WILL SALFORD BE?
It is tough game for us to open up the season and I'm sure Salford will be looking to repeat their great season from last year. They gave us some really tough games last season and we only won the last meeting by a drop goal so that shows the threat they posed last season. They have recruited well in the close season and I am sure like ourselves will want to get their season off to the best possible start. We are looking to build on our last performance when we beat Huddersfield.

DO YOU FEEL YOUR SIDE IS READY FOR THE START OF THE SEASON?
It has been a long pre-season for some of our players. Guys like Kevin Sinfield, Ali Lauitiiti and Clinton Toopi have been training since November for the start of the season whilst the guys who were involved in the Federation Shield and Tri Nations have had less time. We have only had one full hit out but I think if you look across Super League most teams are doing that now.
It is a long season for players who play representative rugby and it is imperative that we do not put any more unnecessary strain on our players and run the risk of injuries in pre-season games. We have come through ok with the exception of Jamie Peacock's eye injury and the players are keen to get the season underway.

HOW IS THE SQUAD SHAPING UP?
We have got some great competition for places, especially at this time of the year and those players who are given the first chance on Sunday have the first chance to stake their claim for place in the side. We will have Jamie Peacock coming back for next weeks game against Hull so straight away people know they have to perform which makes for a great competitive environment within the group. Brent Webb has been getting plenty of attention in the build up to the start of the season and we have to be careful that we don't have too high expectations for him. However, he is a world class player and he will be wanting to hit the ground running on Sunday and he has already shown his quality in training and the Huddersfield game with a try from his first touch.

WEBB AND LEULUAI SET FOR RHINOS DEBUT
New signings Brent Webb and Kylie Leuluai are set to make their full debuts for the Rhinos when they travel to Salford this Sunday, kick off 3pm.

Both players have been named in Tony Smith's initial 20 man squad for the game along with Jamie Thackray and Clinton Toopi who will be beginning their first full season at the club.

The squad in full is:

1 Brent Webb
2 Scott Donald
3 Clinton Toopi
4 Keith Senior
5 Lee Smith
6 Danny McGuire
7 Rob Burrow
8 Kylie Leuluai
9 Matt Diskin
11 Jamie Jones-Buchanan
12 Gareth Ellis
13 Kevin Sinfield (c)
14 Ali Lauitiiti
15 Jamie Thackray
16 Ryan Bailey
17 Nick Scruton
18 Ian Kirke
19 Danny Williams
20 Ashley Gibson
23 Jordan Tansey

News sent by: www.leedsrugby.com

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