|
Superleague XIX - Round 3
28th February 2014
Professional Smash and Grab
Deapite the same seventeen as last week, the coach made a few changes with Aiton and Ward promoted to the starting thirteen at the expense of the benched Burrow and Clarkson. The ground was a little emptier than usual, the Catalans voting with their feet about a poor start to the season, which will have the owner and coach scratching their heads and casting a worried eye towards the bottom of the table and potential relegation.
The Dragons had a strong first half wind at their backs and used it early on to camp down in the Rhinos half. With the game just six minutes old McGuire, making his 350th Leeds appearance, put the ball to ground as he attempted an intercept. From the resulting scrum the Dragons went down the blind side and Oldfield went down the wing to outpace McGuire and score. Barthau added the extras but the Rhinos didn't panic.
On thirteen it looked like the Rhinos must score with a three on two overlap down the left wing but with the line begging a McGuire pass was juggled by Hall and went to ground. Just for a moment you go the feeling that it might be one of those nights. But we needn't have worried.
Scorer
|
Leeds finally broke their duck on twenty-two when Delaney and Moon combined to put Hall free down the left wing. As he drew the defenders he offloaded to the supporting Moon who went twenty metres to stretch over and score.Sinfield converted from the touchline to level the scores.
Four minutes later and we hit the front as a short ball from Aiton found Delaney who crashed over the top of a weakening Dragons defence to touch down. Again Sinfield was accurate with the boot for 12-6 and the Rhinos wouldn't look back.
|
Just after the half hour and Kallum Watkins was the provider of another Briscoe try, his fifth in three games. Watkins broke through a gap and dragged in four tacklers before a brilliant offload to Briscoe who showed his pace down the wing and improved the angle for Sinfield to kick the goal.
At 18-6, and with a strong wind at the Rhinos back in the second half it was already looking like 'game over' for the home side.
Leeds started strongly in the second half and were back on the scoreboard within five minutes of the restart when a great short ball from Burrow found Ablett who had a simple walk-in try. Sinfields boot made it 24-6.
|
The Dragons were further stunned just three minutes later as the Rhinos continued to take the Dragons apart with surgical accuracy.
Moon was the provider this time as he drew in three tacklers before offloading to Ryan Hall to go in for his second of the night. Hall improved the angle and Sinfield made no mistakes in pushing the lead to 30-6.
All credit to the home side, they did get a consolation on fifty-two when a chip kick from Bartahu was collected by Baile and walked over. Bartahu added the two to narrow the margin to 30-12, but from then on it it was all Leeds.
|
Easy Try
|
On sixty-seven Briscoe broke down the wing before offloading to Hardaker who went close before releasing Sinfield for an easy try. In the last minute of the game Hardaker and Moon combined to give Hall his second of the night but with Sinfield off the field the touchline conversion fell to Burrow who slid the ball across the posts for the first conversion failure of the night.
This was a great Leeds performance, at what has not always been the best of hunting grounds. There was never any fear that the Rhinos wouldn't win, and they set about the task in a professional and clinical manner.
The Rhinos side just oozes class and tonight was the chance for the best back line in the game to really show its class.
A great start to the season, and long may it continue.
Please vote for your Man-of-the-Match in the front page poll.
Match Facts
|
No.
|
Player
|
T
|
G
|
DG
|
|
No.
|
Player
|
T
|
G
|
DG
|
|
1
|
Hardaker
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Escare
|
|
2
|
|
|
20
|
Briscoe
|
1
|
|
|
|
28
|
Vaccari
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
Watkins
|
|
|
|
|
19
|
Pala
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
Moon
|
1
|
|
|
|
5
|
Oldfield
|
1
|
|
|
|
5
|
Hall
|
2
|
|
|
|
27
|
Baile
|
1
|
|
|
|
13
|
Sinfield
|
1
|
6
|
|
|
3
|
Pryce
|
|
|
|
|
6
|
McGuire
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
Barthau
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
Leuluai
|
|
|
|
|
10
|
Lime
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
Aiton
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
Henderson
|
|
|
|
|
10
|
Peacock
|
|
|
|
|
23
|
Paea
|
|
|
|
|
12
|
Ablett
|
1
|
|
|
|
11
|
Taia
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
Ward
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
Whitehead
|
|
|
|
|
15
|
Delaney
|
1
|
|
|
|
13
|
Mounis
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7
|
Burrow
|
|
|
|
|
15
|
Maria
|
|
|
|
|
16
|
Bailey
|
|
|
|
|
20
|
Simon
|
|
|
|
|
18
|
Clarkson
|
|
|
|
|
22
|
Fakir
|
|
|
|
|
23
|
Singleton
|
|
|
|
|
24
|
Baitieri
|
|
|
|
|
Kick Off:
|
19:00
|
|
Half-Time:
|
18-06
|
|
Referee:
|
Richard Silverwood
|
|
Crowd:
|
6,300
|
| 
