Round 26
Leeds Rhinos 54 d. Warrington Wolves 16

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

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

Rhinos run riot
Sat September 2, 2006
Source: www.leedsrugby.com

The Rhinos returned to Headingley Carnegie after three weeks away and an enforced rest last week but their was an electric atmosphere to greet them with the opening of the new Carnegie Stand.
Shane Millard and Chev Walker both returned to the squad and earned a spot on the bench.

The Rhinos started brightly played towards the Carnegie Stand however it was the visitors who had the first opportunity to score when Ben Westwood latched onto Bridge's pass but Senior raced back and just pulled him down short of the line. Westwood stretched out his arm but the ball carrying arm had already hit the ground so the try was disallowed.

Leeds responded in the right manner in the next set when Jamie Thackray powered through three would-be tacklers to touch down for his first try for the club in front of the Carnegie Stand after 8 minutes. Sinfield could not add the conversion so it remained 4-0.

The Rhinos could have scored again straight from the kick off when Ashley Gibson broke down the Main Stand touchline before timing his pass well back inside to Burrow. Unfortunately the scrum half lost control of the ball and a certain try went begging.

The home side were left to rue that missed opportunity as Warrington went back down the other end and scored through Mike Sullivan, Tansey unable to stop him from short range. Briers added the conversion to give Warrington a 6-4 lead after 11 minutes.

Leeds re-took the lead after 15 minutes when Ali Lauitiiti picked up a loose ball on his own 20 metre line before passing back inside to Jamie Thackray. The Great Britain prop looked an unlikely scorer 60 metres out from the try line but he pounded up the ground to score. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 10-6.

Leeds extended their lead after 19 minutes. Sinfield produced a hanging bomb that Donald timed his run to perfection to collect and flew through the air passed the waiting defenders and touched down under the posts. Sinfield again converted to make it 16-6.

The see-saw nature of the game continued when the Wolves got the next score after 25 minutes. Scott Donald had the ball knocked out of his hand by a Warrington defender and Chris Bridge was quickest to react, feeding Richie Barnett who slid in at the corner for the try. Briers missed the conversion so it remained 16-10.

Kevin Sinfield extended the lead with a penalty after 33 minutes. Ryan Bailey had bumped off an initial challenge by Briers and was wrapped up by two tacklers when Paul Wood came flying in at the back of the tackle and punch Bailey on the blind side. Referee Thaler did not have the courage of his convinctions and placed the incident on report which could end up in a suspension for the prop in the week.

Warrington ill-discipline was proving their undoing when Leeds appeared to be going nowhere at the end of a set and Rob Burrow was taken out when he kicked through. This time the Rhinos tapped the ball and eventually the ball found Ali Lauitiiti, who did what only he can do. Carrying it one handed he handed off two players then sprinted through a gap to score. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 24-10 after 37 minutes.

Leeds had their tails up now and significantly when a scrum was awarded to them at the end of the half they quickly set the scrum to stop the clock. That same determination continued throughout the set until Tansey found himself under pressure in midfield and spotted his old Academy team mate on his own out on the wing. He brilliantly kicked through and Gibson collected to score his fifth try of the season. Sinfield added the touchline conversion to make it 30-10 at half time.

Warrington struck first after six minutes of the second half. Matt Diskin seemed to be harshly done by when he was adjudged to have knocked on by the touch judge on half way. From the ensuing set of six, Warrington moved down field and Briers sent Logan Swann away through a gap to score. Briers added the conversion to make it 30-16.

Gibson nearly scored his second try of the game after 54 minutes but was just beat by the dead ball line. Sinfield had kicked through on the last tackle and Barnett was slow to react, Gibson dived through the air, took the ball off Barnett's finger tips but was just unable to ground it before the line.

Leeds were pouring on the pressure now but poor handling at crucial times was letting them down.

However, the pressure eventually told on the hour mark. Sinfield ran across the defence then produced a great cut out pass to release Senior who glided through the defensive line to score. Sinfield added the conversion to re-establish the 20 point lead.

He soon scored his second try of the night after a real nightmare for the Wolves defence. Chris Riley appeared to have control of a grubber kick but completely misjudged the bounce of the ball, Senior picked up and ran round towards the posts to touch down. Sinfield added the conversion to bring up 40 points for Leeds for the first time since the start of June.

Scott Donald then scored the try he has been threatening to score all season. A poor kick through by Warrington was picked up by the Australian 35 metres from his own line, he beat three defenders before racing through to score under the posts. Sinfield's conversion making it 48-16.

The game ended on a high for the 17,349 fans inside Headingley Carnegie as Keith Senior went 70 metres to complete his hat trick, Rob Burrow's conversion making the final score 54-16 and a return to the free scoring ways of the Rhinos.

Leeds: Tansey, Donald, Toopi, Senior, Gibson, Sinfield, Burrow, Thackray, Diskin, Jones-Buchanan, Lauitiiti, Peacock, Ellis.
Subs: Millard, Walker, Kirke, Bailey.

Warrington: Reardon, Fa'afili, Martin Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Barnett, Briers, Bridge, Leikvoll, Sullivan, Wood, Wainwright, Swann, Westwood.
Subs: Mark Gleeson, Bracek, Parker, Riley.

Ref: Ben Thaler
Attendance: 17,349

Report source: www.leedsrugby.com

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