FORUMS FORUMS






RLFANS.COM
Celebrating
25 years service to
the Rugby League
Community!

  

The only unbeaten side in Super League, St Helens, were up against the defending Champions, the Leeds Rhinos, in what was arguably the game of round six.

Saints made just one change and had Jon Wilkin back in the starting line-up with McCarthy-Scarsbrook dropping to the bench to replace the injured Alex Walmsley. Leeds promoted Anthony Mullally from the bench in for Mitch Garbutt (knee), with Cameron Smith and Mikolaj Oledzki in the bench.

The home side were strong favourites with the bookies and the pundits, but Justin Holbrook acknowledged during the week that this would be their sternest test of the season so far. Leeds were still without a number of their stars as they looked to continue their 2018 campaign.

Kyle Amor and Ash Golding both received early treatment for injuries, the Leeds man leaving the field for a concussion test. After good Leeds pressure Anthony Mullally opened the scoring when he wriggled out of a gang of four Saints tacklers to drop over the line. Kallum Watkins added the extras for a 6-0 lead to the visitors.

Saints were back in the game on sixteen when Ben Barba benefitted from a loose Leeds pass when he took the ball floating into the centres and ran over the top of Richie Myler to ground. Danny Richardson made a nonesense of the angle to slot over the conversion.

Myler put a clearing kick out on the full on twenty-one which piled the pressure back on Leeds. On the next set Tommy Makinson took a Richardson high ball and dropped over the line but lost the ball in the act of scoring. The Rhinos breathed a collective sigh of relief.

As the half wore on it was Saints in the ascendancy.

Leeds illegally stole the ball on their own ten metre line on twenty-seven and Richardson gave the Saints a two point lead. Two minutes later and sensational handling gave Saints their second try. A knock back from Adam Swift went through the hands of Richardson and Makinson before arriving back with Swift for him to ground. Richardson was unable to add the extras from the touchline.

Somewhat against the run of play, on thirty-five the Rhinos struck back through Richie Myler who found space to take a Tom Briscoe inside pass and go the remaining ten metres to score. Watkins added the conversion for 12-12 at the interval.

The first points of the second half came after Carl Ablett was penalised for an incorrect play the ball and Richardson edged his side ahead with the resulting penalty on fifty-four minutes. After giving away the penalty it was Ablett who earned one a few minutes later and Watkins opted to take the two to again level the scores on the hour mark.

Within a minute the Rhinos were in for a four pointer when Ash Handley was the first to react to a Myler kick over the top which confused the Saints defence. Watkins pulled his kick wide of the uprights.

On sixty-four Watkins left the field after picking up an injury in going close.

On the next play a Joel Moon grubber, after a Myler break, hit a Saints player and bounced into goal where Handley got a hand on the ball for his second try in five minutes. Myler took over the kicking duties but couldn’t convert. The Rhinos had dug deep and were now in a position of strength.

A superb length of the field try on seventy-one gave Ben Barba his second of the game after Regan Grace broke the Rhinos defensive line and went seventy metres before finding his full back in space to go over under the sticks. Richardson added the goal and the margin was back to just two points.

Zeb Taia knocked on a pass on the kick-off return and from the resulting scrum Matt Parcell pushed his way to the line and reached down to score the try. Myler added the conversion for an eight point lead with six minutes left on the clock.

Saints threw everything that they had at the Rhinos in the closing minutes but the Leeds defence held strong for an unexpected win.

This was a humdinger of a game where the Rhinos overcame the odds and home advantage to inflict the Saints first loss of the 2018 season and get themselves right back in the hunt for a top four place. Despite a host of injuries, including the loss of Golding and Watkins during the game, the visitors brought composure and patience to the game. Driven on by Myler, Moon and Parcell it was a famous victory for the Blue and Amber over a Saints side who showed little of their early season flair.

Saints: Barba (2T), Swift (T), Makinson, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Richardson (4G), Amor, Roby, Thompson, Taia, Peyroux, Wilkin.  Subs: Fages, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Douglas, Lees.

Rhinos: Golding, Briscoe, Watkins (3G), Handley (2T), Hall, Moon, Myler (T, G), Mullally (T), Parcell (T), Singleton, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Delaney.  Subs: Smith, Oledzki, Walker, Walters.

Referee: James Child.

Half-Time: 12-12.

Full-Time: 20-28.

Attendance: .



facebook sharing button
twitter sharing button
pinterest sharing button
email sharing button
sharethis sharing button


Posted by RLFANS News Hound on Fri 16th Mar 2018 9:49 PM | Views : 19888 | Replies : 0 | BACK TO STORIES
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
6m
Squad for Catalan
CW8
19
7m
New Investors
BullRaider
2
7m
The Good Friday Derby Massacre
ComeOnYouUll
153
8m
Investment
dddooommm
30
12m
Wigan/Saints
ratticusfinc
2
17m
York - 14th April
BarnsleyTrin
22
21m
Rd 6 I Cas A
KaeruJim
132
23m
Fevround 2
The Phantom
92
29m
Smith - should he stay or should he go
B0NES
369
29m
BORED The Band Name Game
Boss Hog
56043
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
19s
York - 14th April
BarnsleyTrin
22
21s
Fevround 2
The Phantom
92
28s
WIRE YED Prediction Competition Catalans Home
rubber ducki
18
1m
Wigan/Saints
ratticusfinc
2
1m
State of the Nation
B0NES
230
1m
Squad for Catalan
CW8
19
2m
Smith - should he stay or should he go
B0NES
369
2m
Saints a
apollosghost
26
2m
Surprise Surprise
Maccbull_Big
63
2m
21 man Squads - Devils v Leopards
WYSIWYG2
5
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
New Investors
BullRaider
2
TODAY
Wigan/Saints
ratticusfinc
2
TODAY
Another Tigers Defeat As Rhinos Go Level Top
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
York - 14th April
BarnsleyTrin
22
TODAY
Stats article
Sir Gregory
5
TODAY
21 man Squads - Devils v Leopards
WYSIWYG2
5
TODAY
Squad for Catalan
CW8
19
TODAY
The Wigan Way - New Podcast - Chairman Special
Jukesays
1
TODAY
Dons v Swinton Lions 30 June 2024
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Squad for Sheffield
AdamH
1
TODAY
London Away
Fartown58
1
TODAY
The Bulls away
terry silver
9
TODAY
The official Leon Hayes Thread
Smiffy27
18
TODAY
Saints a
apollosghost
26
TODAY
Leon Ruan signs on loan
Jemmo
2
TODAY
Wardle
Jo Jumbuck
3
TODAY
Huddersfield - Home
Deadcowboys1
9
TODAY
Max Wood on loan to Bradford 2 weeks
rubber ducki
7
TODAY
Jake Wardle 5 Year deal
Zig
22
TODAY
No grade A for 2025 for Trinity
imwakefieldt
31
TODAY
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangements
RLFANS News
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
Another Tigers Defeat As Rhino..
171
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangeme..
591
2024 Challenge Cup Quarter Fin..
708
Easy Does It For The Dragons A..
597
Warrington Demolish London For..
702
Leigh Leopards Beat Plucky Fea..
756
Saints Triumph Over Disappoint..
734
Easy Win for the Wolves Over L..
973
Dragons Condemn Castleford To ..
939
Leigh Leopards Secure First Po..
1088
St Helens Tame The Rhinos To W..
1054
Wigan Warriors Come From Behin..
1125
Betfred Championship and Leagu..
1098
2024 Challenge Cup Sixth Round..
3885
Featherstone Win Extra Time Cu..
1215