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48
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Rhinos
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v
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Harlequins
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14
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Superleague XIV
Round 17
20th June 2009
Rhinos Turn on the Style
The Rhinos were without Diskin and Bailey (both having failed fitness tests) as Bluey went with Worrall and Watkins on the bench. The 'Quins were missing talisman Rob Purdham, absent after an operation on a blood clot in his hand. A good Rhinos contingent had made the long journey south for the game of the round.
The Rhinos didn't touch the ball for the opening three minutes as the Quins played the game in the Rhinos twenty. On three minutes an Orr long ball found Ryan Hall way out of position and Melling went over in the corner. Orr missed the conversion but it wasn't the start that we wanted in the capital.
What followed was twelve minutes of Leeds nightmare with dropped ball and knock-ons galore gifting posession back to the Quins. Leeds were looking like a pub team, and a poor one at that.
Then on fifteen, and the Rhinos first real attack, McGuire put through a grubber which was chased by Sinfield and scored under the sticks as Orr tried to ground the ball in goal. Sinfield added the extras and we hit the front at 6-4.
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On the quarter game mark Leeds scored a sensational try.
Peacock bust a tackle and found Webb waiting for the pass on his shoulder. Webb made a few metres, drew the last tackler and then passed inside for McGuire to score. Sinfield slotted over the extras and in a ten minute turnaround we were now 12-4 ahead and looking hot.
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Superman |
On twenty-six the 'Quins halted the Leeds one-way traffic. An Orr kick was parried by Sharp, as he outjumped Scott Donald, and collected by Howell who scored in the corner. Orr once again missed, so with two tries each the Rhinos led by 12-8.
On the half hour Lauiti'iti dropped the ball over the line when he all he had to do was drop to the floor. It was a good chance that had gone begging. Two minutes later and Heckenberg was in the same boat as Ali when Webb managed to get his body under the ball and stop a try.
Two minutes before the break and Burrow found a gap before offloading outside for Jamie Jones-Buchanan to go over under the sticks. Smith went to the video ref to rule on an obstruction but he ruled in Leeds favour. Sinfield added the extras.
A penalty for Leeds right on the hooter was kicked by Kevin Sinfield and we had a comfortable 20-8 half-time lead in a game where we have been up against it for the opening ten minutes but in control for the remaining thirty. So far, so good, a professional display.
Two minutes into the second half and we scored again. A shocking error from Will Sharp gave Leeds posession and McGuire used Webb who found Scott Donald to score in the corner. Sinfield scored from the touchline for 26-8.
Hot & Cold
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Forty-seven and we were at it again as the Quins had no answer. Webb, Lauiti'iti and Senior combined before Webb received the ball back and crossed next to the sticks. Sinfield kicked the extras, six from six, for 32-8.
On fifty-three Buderus got his first try in Rhinos colours when he spotted a gap from two metres out and dove over from acting half back. Sinfield again added the goal and the game was well beyond the 'Quins at 38-8.
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Three quarters of the game gone and the Rhinos used two tackles to go the length of the field. Hall broke, Burrow broke, Senior broke and then the Rhinos moved the ball to the right before Lee Smith ran the arc and scored in the corner. Sinfield kicked his eighth from eight and we were at 44-8. The 'Quins looked beaten and broken.
Thirteen minutes left and the first try for over forty minutes for the 'Quins as Randall burrowed under the defenders to score. Orr added the extras for 44-14.
On seventy-one Ryan Hall got his name on the scoresheet when he benefitted from a Lee Smith pass to go down the outside and touch down in the corner. Burrow slid the conversion in front of the sticks.
Leeds went close twice more but the scoring was all over at 48-14.
It had been a great Leeds performance, excepting a first ten minutes when we couldn't get out of our own twenty. Many Leeds players were on top of their game today and put in their best performances of the season. The 'Quins just had no answer to a fluid and red hot Rhinos.
Man of the Match Poll
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Points | Player | % |
10 | Webb | 31% |
8 | Buderus | 23% |
6 | Peacock | 19% |
4 | Sinfield | 12% |
3 | Burrow | 8% |
2 | Hall | 4% |
2 | Leuluai | 4% |
See here for season standings.
Match Facts
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No.
|
Player
|
T
|
G
|
DG
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No.
|
Player
|
T
|
G
|
DG
|
|
1
|
Webb
|
1
|
|
|
|
2
|
Wells
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Donald
|
1
|
|
|
|
1
|
Melling
|
1
|
|
|
|
3
|
Smith
|
1
|
|
|
|
3
|
Gafa
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
Senior
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
Howell
|
1
|
|
|
|
5
|
Hall
|
1
|
|
|
|
5
|
Sharp
|
|
|
|
|
6
|
McGuire
|
1
|
|
|
|
6
|
Orr
|
|
1
|
|
|
7
|
Burrow
|
|
|
|
|
21
|
Gale
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
Leuluai
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
Temata
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
Buderus
|
1
|
|
|
|
9
|
Randall
|
1
|
|
|
|
10
|
Peacock
|
|
|
|
|
10
|
McCarthy-Scarsbrook
|
|
|
|
|
11
|
Jones-Buchanan
|
1
|
|
|
|
11
|
Williamson
|
|
|
|
|
18
|
Ablett
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
Clubb
|
|
|
|
|
13
|
Sinfield
|
1
|
8
|
|
|
19
|
Golden
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12
|
Lauiti'iti
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
Ward
|
|
|
|
|
19
|
Burgess
|
|
|
|
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18
|
Mbu
|
|
|
|
|
21
|
Worrall
|
|
|
|
|
23
|
Heckenberg
|
|
|
|
|
23
|
Watkins
|
|
|
|
|
26
|
Gardner
|
|
|
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Kick Off:
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18:00
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Half-Time:
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20-08
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Referee:
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Ian Smith
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Crowd:
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?
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