Round 11
Leeds Rhinos 42 d. Castleford Tigers 6

2006 English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Rhinos win ill tempered derby
Sat April 22, 2006
Source: www.leedsrugby.com

Tony Smith fielded a side with an average age of just 23 in this local derby following injuries to Chev Walker, Lee Smith and captain Kevin Sinfield. This was the second meeting between the two sides at Headingley Carnegie this side and the Tigers were clearly looking to avenge the 66-14 mauling they received in the last meeting back in March.

Led by 38-year-old Brad Davis the Tigers were calm and composed at the start and made the most of a flurry of penalties awarded by Ronnie Laughton to move upfield. They then fed the ball wide and full back Michael Platt forced his way over, stretching to touch down one handed. McGoldrick added the conversion to make it 6-0 after 9 minute.

Leeds finally clicked into gear seven minutes later after a good drive from Bailey put both Nutley and Ward on their backside. From there Burrow scooted away from dummy half before flicking a pass back inside to Ellis who strode over. Burrow conversion hit the post and bounced out so Castleford maintained a narrow lead.

The Rhinos had to withstand an intense period of pressure on their own line then, as first Keith Senior knocked on under his own posts and then Jordan Tansey was harshly adjudged to have been dragged back in goal. But having snuffed out the best the Tigers could throw at them, Leeds moved down field and Keith Senior cut a brilliant line to split the defence and touch down. Ashley Gibson this time added the conversion to make it 10-6 after 19 minutes.

Both teams have been reduced to 12 men after 30 minutes when Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Richard Fa'aoso were both sin binned for a fight. The game was an ill tempered affair which referee Laughton seemed unable to control and times but instead incited more frustrations with his constant whistle blowing.

The Rhinos did extend their lead with half time approaching when captain Jamie Peacock forced his way over amid three would be tacklers. However, such was the Tigers tactics all night that even the scoring of the try could not go without incident as Brad Davis tried to pick a fight with the Leeds prop. The Tigers clearly had one tactic for the night, to frustrate the Rhinos at every opportunity and hope that Leeds would bite. Gibson's conversion gave the Rhinos a ten point lead at half time.

Leeds were given the perfect start to the second half when Castleford knocked on from the kick off. The Rhinos built the pressure on the Castleford line and eventually it told as Matt Diskin went over from dummy half. Gibson's conversion struck the upright so the lead remained 20-6.

However it was not long before the lead was further extended and it came from a brilliant pass from Ashley Gibson. The ball was moved to the right and Gibson deftly flicked it on to Scott Donald who touched down in the corner. Gibson's conversion just drifted wide to leave it at 24-6 after 48 minutes.

After 50 minutes, Danny McGuire produced a fantastic run beating four Castleford defenders before Ryan McGoldrick produced a pathetic, cowardly swinging arm that could have easily caused serious damage to McGuire in the only attempt he could make to stop the Rhinos star. McGoldrick's effort was soon matched by that of referee Laughton who hit behind the "on report" system to get out of having to send the player off. The act had taken place in open field in front of the official and his touch judge but neither was prepared to take action.

Castleford were intent on causing as much mayhem as possible and foudn themselves reduced to 12 men again when Danny Nutley was sinbinned after 55 minutes after constant penalties against the visitors.

On 62 minutes the moment that all Rhinos fans were looking forward to happened when Danny McGuire became only the 22nd player in the club's 110 year history to score a century of tries. He burst through the defence 20 metres out and sprinted through to score under the posts. Gibson added the conversion to make it 30-6.

Mark O'Neill made an immediate impact on his debut after coming off the bench in the second half. He produced a great offload to send Ashley Gibson away who side stepped the cover and sprinted in from 30 metres out. Tansey missed the conversion but the Rhinos were now well out in front at 34-6 after 68 minutes.

Danny Nutley then found himself in the sin bin for the second time for back chatting to the referee and the Rhinos soon took advantage of their numerical advantage to go further in front as Matt Diskin ran across the face of the defence before cutting back inside to touch down. Tansey was unable to convert but the lead was now 38-6 to the home side.

In the final second of the game, Keith Senior made the most of the space created by a break from McGuire to cut back through the Tigers defence and touch down in the corner for his second try of the night. Tansey missed the conversion but the Rhinos had won 42-6.

Article - Mixed emotions for Smith

Report source: www.leedsrugby.com

Advanced Search