Round 11
Leeds Rhinos 38 d. St Helens 19

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

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

Rhinos 24 point blitz ends Saints winning run
Sun April 22, 2007
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Leeds Rhinos scored 24 unanswered points in the second half to halt St Helens' five-match winning run and draw level with engage Super League leaders Bradford Bulls.

The champions held a 19-14 advantage after an enthralling opening half but the Rhinos turned on the style after the break to secure a memorable victory in front of a 21,975 crowd at Headingley.

The lead changed hands three times in an enthralling Roses battle which was only decided in the final quarter.

Saints shrugged off the late withdrawal of Great Britain duo Lee Gilmour and Ade Gardner and Australian centre Matt Gidley to score three first half tries but Leeds, inspired by Great Britain captain Jamie Peacock, finished in total command.

Saints were forced to give a second appearance to Dean McGilvray three days ahead of his 19th birthday in a late reshuffle.

McGilvray, who was due to play in the curtain-raiser, took the place of Gardner while fellow teenager Stephen Tyrer deputised for Gidley, who pulled out through illness, and Paul Clough replaced Gilmour.

And Tyrer made a dream start with a try inside the first two minutes after brilliant work from Great Britain full-back Paul Wellens.

The reigning Man of Steel beat his opposite number Brent Webb, the New Zealand full-back, to reclaim the ball from Sean Long's high kick and worked the ball backwards from the tackle for Jason Cayless and Mike Bennett to get the youngster over the line.

Skipper Paul Sculthorpe added the difficult conversion to make it 6-0 but it was then Leeds' turn to dominate.

Wellens matched his attacking flair with defensive steel to deny both Webb and winger Scott Donald but he was unable to stop Donald grabbing an equalising try on 12 minutes after a superb round-the-man pass by Jamie Jones-Buchanan freed the Australian flier.

Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield added the goal and also converted a solo try from stand-off Danny McGuire on 22 minutes that edged the Rhinos in front.

The visitors were back level four minutes later, though, when a miraculous offload by Saints substitute Maurie Fa'asavalu gave loose forward James Roby a clear run to the line.

There was little to choose between two outstanding teams but Sinfield edged his side back in front 10 minutes before the break with a penalty awarded for a foul by James Graham on fellow substitute Jamie Thackray.

The lead was once more short-lived, however, for a 40-20 kick from Long set up the position for Wellens to jink past second rower Ian Kirke for Saints' third try.

Tyrer added the conversion and Long put over a 35-metre drop goal in the final act of a thrilling first 40 minutes to open up a five-point gap.

That was trimmed to just one inside a minute of the re-start when substitute centre Clinton Toopi forced his way over after magnificent work from half-backs McGuire and Rob Burrow.

Sinfield was off target for the first time but made amends with a second penalty, awarded for ball-stealing, after Lee Smith (Leeds) and Francis Meli (St Helens) had both spurned tryscoring chances.

Leeds began to get on top in the second quarter and it was no surprise when they went further in front, courtesy of Peacock's first try at Headingley for 11 months.

The Great Britain captain produced another monumental effort and proved unstoppable on a charge 15 metres out from the line.

As the Rhinos maintained their surge, Smith sent Webb on a run from halfway for their fifth try, to which Sinfield added his sixth goal.

And Smith was once more the provider a minute from the end, scooping up a loose ball and sending Burrow over for Leeds' final try and he also added the goal.

Leeds Rhinos (14) 38.
Tries: Donald, McGuire, Toopi, Peacock, Webb, Burrow.
Goals: Sinfield 6, Burrow.

St Helens (19) 19.
Tries: Tyrer, Roby, Wellens.
Goals: Sculthorpe 2, Tyrer.
Drop Goals: Long.

Leeds Rhinos: Webb, Donald, Senior, Gibson, Smith, McGuire, Burrow, Peacock, Diskin, Bailey, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Sinfield.
Replacements: Toopi, Thackray, Leuluai, Kirke.

St Helens: Wellens, Tyrer, McGilvray, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Fozzard, Cunningham, Cayless, Bennett, Sculthorpe, Roby.
Replacements: Graham, Clough, Fa'asavalu, Moore.

Referee: A Klein
Attendance: 21,975

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: Anderson keeps the faith
Article: Anderson explains Gardner absence
Article: Rhinos down Saints in style


Rhinos down Saints in style
Sun April 22, 2007
Source: www.leedsrugby.com

Leeds produced a second half wonder show to score 24 unanswered points in the second half to see off St Helens at Headingley Carnegie.

Tony Smith named an unchanged team to that which defeated Warrington the previous week for the clash with World Champions as Leeds looked to go top of engage Super League.

St Helens on the other hand were forced into three late changes with illness ruling out Matt Gidley, Lee Gilmour and Ade Gardner in the build up to the game.

However, the disruption seemed to matter little to the visitors as they took the lead inside two minutes. They were able to move down field after Ashley Klein penalised Leeds for not being square at the marker and then Paul Wellens took the ball off Brent Webb in mid-air as both went up for a high kick on the last tackle. The Great Britain full back was alert and forced the ball backwards as he landed. Saints were able to move the ball quickly wide and Stephen Tyrer crossed in the corner. Sculthorpe added the touchline conversion to make it 6-0.

The Rhinos were gruelly denied a try after five minutes by video ref Phil Bentham. Great skill from Sinfield, Webb, Ellis and McGuire got Leeds in a great position then Burrow spread the ball wide to Gibson. He offloaded to Donald seven metres out and the winger showed great strength to hold off two would be tacklers and force the ball down on the line. However, Bentham adjudged he had not grounded it and the Rhinos were denied.

However, there was no denying the Queenslander his 10th try of the season after 13 minutes. Leeds were attacking with purpose when Jamie Jones-Buchanan ran hard at the Saints defence before producing a great offload to Donald who cut back inside Wellens to score. Sinfield added the conversion to level the score.

Both teams had chances to take the lead again but failed to do so. Paul Sculthorpe knocked on stretching for the line and then Scott Donald was just tackled short of the line.

However, Leeds did take the lead after 21 minutes when Danny McGuire spotted a gap and raced through passed the dispairing dive of Stephen Tyrer to go through and score his 100th try in Super League in just 114 appearances. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 12-6.

However, St Helens showed their class by hitting straight back. Maurie Fa'asavalu made the initial break before offloading in the tackle to James Roby to score. Sculthorpe's conversion levelled the game after 28 minutes.

The Rhinos retook the lead two minutes later when Jamie Thackray was lifted up through the vertical 20 metres from the Saints line. Sinfield added the penalty to make it 14-12.

With four minutes remaining in the half Sean Long kicked a 40:20 to give his side a great chance heading towards the break. And they took advantage as weak attempted tackles by Ian Kirke and Jamie Thackray allowed Paul Wellens to get away from close range and score by the posts. Tyrer added the conversion to make it 18-14 to the visitors.

In the last second of the half, Sean Long kicked a 45 metre drop goal to make the half time score 19-14 to Saints.

The Rhinos game out fired up at the start of the half and scored after less than a minute. McGuire offloaded to Burrow on half way and he broke clear only to be tackled by Long five metres short. However, Clinton Toopi was on hand and first receiver to power his way over to score. Sinfield conversion hit the outside of the post so Saints just held on to their lead.

Both teams were putting a great show for the packed crowd at Headingley Carnegie, with play going from one end of the field to another with some great Rugby League. The Rhinos had a great chance when Lee Smith showed real tenacity to break clear from inside his own 20 metre area and then sprint free. He kicked ahead for Brent Webb to chase but the ball just ran dead.

However, Leeds did take the lead after 51 minutes from a penalty after a rampaging run by Jamie Peacock was only halted when he had the ball stripped from him in front of the posts. Sinfield kicked the goal to make it 20-19.

Leeds extended that lead after 55 minutes when Jamie Peacock came roaring onto a pass ten metres out and then bumped off three would be tacklers to score. Sinfield's conversion making it 26-19 to the Rhinos.

A record crowd for a Leeds v St Helens game in the summer era of 21,975 was brought to it's feet with ten minutes to go when Lee Smith produced a brilliant offload to Brent Webb on half way and the Leeds fullback scampered through for the try. Sinfield's fifth conversion of the night making it 32-19 to the Rhinos.

To aid the icing to the cake, with a minute remaining Smith again made a fantastic break, latching onto a spilled pass by Saints ten metres from his line. He burst upfield before drawing the last man and passing to Rob Burrow to score from 20 metres out. Burrow converted himself to seal a memorable 38-19 victory over the World Champions.

Leeds: Webb, Donald, Senior, Gibson, Smith, McGuire, Burrow, Bailey, Diskin, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Sinfield.
Subs: Leuluai, Kirke, Toopi, Thackray

St Helens: Wellens, Tyrer, McGilvray, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Fozzard, Cunningham, Cayless, Bennett, Sculthorpe, Roby
Subs: Graham, Clough, Fa'asavalu, Moore

Ref: Ashley Klein
Attendance: 21,975

News sent by: www.leedsrugby.com

Article: Smith pleased with triumph

Sat April 21, 2007
• Headingley Insight: Leeds v St Helens
  
Thu April 19, 2007
• Lauitiiti named in Rhinos squad for Saints blockbuster
  

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