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Jamie Jones-Buchanan
Testimonial
26th January 2009
Ran Out of Time
Although his side may have lost, the character traits that best sum up Rhinos testimonial recipient Jamie Jones-Buchanan; honesty and total professionalism, marked his benefit clash.
In an engrossing, if never quite explosive encounter, the value of half backs was thrown in to sharp relief.
Lee Smith and Ryan Hall with good work from the back staunched the early flow and the introduction of rugged Ian Kirke and impish Paul McShane saw the home side redress the territorial balance without manufacturing a decisive finish.
Calderwood nearly did but was just hauled into touch at the corner flag by Hall and the on-field temperature visibly rose when Willie Manu took exception to a Carl Ablett tackle on Tom Briscoe just before the half hour as Hull defended their line.
Late in the half Rhinos looked to have prized an opening but Jamie Peacock's offload went to ground and the visitors countered impressively through Manu, Thorman, Todd Byrne and Briscoe, only for a knock on to thwart them.
Leeds made the more positive start to the second half, Hall just scraping the touchline as he found the corner from a magical Keith Senior pass but he was legitimately across soon after, Jones-Buchanan setting Senior free with a fine offload and Hall stepping through on the inside.
With that left hand channel looking increasingly productive, Scott Donald filling in at full back, spilt a Thorman steepler and then, from the scrum half's clever flick, Richard Horne manufactured a pin point flat grubber early in the count which Briscoe did well to take and propel himself forward to claim a well worked score.
Tickle's timely interception foiled another Peacock offload, McShane nearly got Ashley Gibson over and Kirk Yeaman denied Smith but by the hour Leeds were back in contention.
Hesitation between Calderwood and Graeme Horne dealing with Brown's cross kick saw Hall sneak in and snaffle the ball for his brace.
Burnett had a try chalked off after a double knock on in instant reply, Thorman forced a drop out with a banana kick and Craig Hall looked clear on a kick return only for Peacock to somehow get back and deny him.
Thorman's early kick saw Yeaman hack on but fail to gather cleanly as he looked to cross and with two minutes to go Ablett put the result in the melting point when he cleverly stepped inside two sliding defenders from Matt Diskin's pass.
The most important number, however, was not the score line - encouraging though that was for the black and whites - but a crowd, swelled by a healthy visiting contingent, of almost five and half thousand who contributed the worthiest of causes.
Match Facts
|
No.
|
Player
|
T
|
G
|
DG
|
|
No.
|
Player
|
T
|
G
|
DG
|
|
3
|
Smith
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Byrne
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Donald
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Calderwood
|
|
|
|
|
23
|
Watkins
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
Horne G.
|
1
|
|
|
|
4
|
Senior
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
Yeaman
|
|
|
|
|
5
|
Hall
|
2
|
|
|
|
5
|
Broscoe
|
1
|
|
|
|
22
|
Allen
|
|
|
|
|
6
|
Horne R.
|
|
|
|
|
33
|
Brown
|
|
2
|
|
|
7
|
Thorman
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
Leuleui
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
Dowes
|
1
|
|
|
|
14
|
Diskin
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
Houghton
|
|
|
|
|
10
|
Peacock
|
|
|
|
|
10
|
Cusack
|
|
|
|
|
11
|
Jones-Buchanan
|
|
|
|
|
11
|
Burnett
|
|
|
|
|
12
|
Lauiti'iti
|
|
|
|
|
12
|
Tickle
|
|
4
|
|
|
18
|
Ablett
|
1
|
|
|
|
13
|
Radford
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19
|
Burgess
|
|
|
|
|
16
|
Thackray
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
Kirke
|
|
|
|
|
18
|
Hodgson
|
|
|
|
|
26
|
McShane
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
Manu
|
|
|
|
|
35
|
Ambler
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
Lee
|
|
|
|
|
20
|
Gibson
|
|
|
|
|
15
|
Hall
|
|
|
|
|
Kick Off:
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19:30
|
|
Half-Time:
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00-12
|
|
Referee:
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Gareth Hewer
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Crowd:
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5,329
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