Round 13
Bradford Bulls 26 l. Leeds Rhinos 40

2008 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Rhinos maintain Super League lead
Mon May 5, 2008
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Super League champions Leeds Rhinos turned on the style in front of a 30,628 crowd at the Millennium Stadium to pile on the agony for derby rivals Bradford Bulls and open up a seven-point lead at the top of the table with a 40-26 win.

After their fortuitous, nail-biting win over the Bulls in the inaugural Millennium Magic event, there was no disputing Rhinos' superiority 12 months on as they outscored their opponents seven tries to four.

France international Eric Anselme made a fairytale start to his English career with one of Leeds' spectacular tries and 17-year-old centre Kallum Watkins also scored on his full Super League debut.

Yet Bulls were on course to avenge their agonising 42-38 defeat at the Millennium Stadium a year ago as well as a 44-2 humiliation at Headingley Carnegie over Easter when they led 10-6 at half-time.

Former Wakefield Trinity winger Semi Tadulala continued his rich vein of form with his 10th try in six games, finishing decisively at the corner after taking a long pass from his old Wildcats team-mate David Solomona.

Bradford's lead lasted only seven minutes, however, with Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield converting Watkins' 14th-minute try, which was the product of a superb offload from the tackle by prop Kylie Leuluai.

Leeds quickly began to look the more creative, with stand-off Danny McGuire weaving his magic to get winger Scott Donald over the line only to be held up, but Bradford's defence looked solid up to the break.

While the Rhinos ran the ball at every opportunity, Bulls skipper Paul Deacon was happy to kick for goal after his side were twice awarded penalties and he edged them 8-6 in front.

He extended the lead to 10-6 by half-time, more than making up for a missed conversion, with a 45-metre kick after McGuire was penalised for a ball-steal.

But the game was turned on its head within six minutes of the restart when Leeds thrilled the crowd with two magnificent long-range tries.

Watkins further underlined his promised with a break from deep inside his own half and full-back Brent Webb continued the move to send Anselme over for a try.

The champions matched that sparkling effort when McGuire's short ball got substitute Simon Worrall sprinting through a gap 70 metres out and centre Keith Senior was in support to touch down.

Sinfield added both conversions to make it 18-10 and the game went further away from the Bulls when their defence was cracked twice more in a three-minute spell.

Webb's long pass enabled Donald, Super League's leading tryscorer, to cross for his 13th touchdown of the season, and he then turned provided for the New Zealand full-back to score.

Sinfield took his goal tally to four from five attempts as Leeds established a 28-10 lead.

Solomona crafted a second try for Tadulala and centre Shontayne Hape forced his way over for a touchdown but Leeds were simply irresistible and finished strongly with two further tries in the final quarter.

Right winger Ryan Hall intercepted Solomona's pass to sprint over from halfway and prop Kylie Leuluai barged over, although Bradford had the consolation of scoring the final try, with Sam Burgess winning the race to Deacon's grubber kick.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: McClennan gives Webb his blessing


Bulls Eye: Bradford v Leeds
Thu May 1, 2008
Source: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

In Bulls Eye this week Bradford Coach Steve McNamara looks ahead to the engage Super League Round 13 at Millennium Magic as the Bulls go head to head with the Rhinos.

STEVE McNAMARA
IT'S FOUR GAMES FROM FIVE NOW AND HOW MUCH CONFIDENCE DOES THAT BREED?
We are definitely confident - and winning certainly helps that - and we are a confident bunch anyway but the players realise they are facing a difficult game at the weekend and that previous form and results count for nothing. We have to turn up on the day and play and if we do that then we have a good chance of taking the two points.

HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO GO INTO THE MILLENNIUM GAME AGAINST THE RHINOS ON THE BACK OF A GOOD PERFORMANCE LAST WEEK?
It was good for last week, never mind this week! We knew we were playing Wigan and we had to put in a good performance and we did. I am not one for putting one into the other and the Wigan game is gone now but I do understand what you are saying and it's always good to win because it gives you the feel good factor!! Mind you if the weather decided to change then we would all feel a bit better!!

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM THE CARDIFF EVENT THIS YEAR?
Well the atmosphere last year was great. It wasn't the biggest of crowds in a stadium like that bit it certainly had a great atmosphere. I think there will be a few more there this year and hopefully it will be even better. It did have a Cup Final feel to it and I hope it can be at least replicated and hopefully improved on this year.

Last year's game is not in our thoughts at all. We were part of some drama that will be talked about for many years and will go down in the annals of the game but as far as we are concerned that's gone and we are just focusing, as I said earlier on the two points. We are more concerned about last week's performance and how we can improve on it. Yes we were part of some drama but let's hope we are part of some more this year in a very good game and hopefully help to spread the word of Rugby League across Wales. But we are just concentrating on this week because it's the two points we are interested in and I would be just as excited about the game if we were playing it on Odsal Rec!! It's that close, it's that tight and that's what we have to focus on; the performance and result of the game rather than the occasion.

We underperformed the last time we played Leeds at Headingley. There were lots of possible reasons why that happened but we took it on the chin, understood that we got our backsides kicked and we have got to go out and play better on Saturday.

SQUAD
Steve McNamara is without the injured Ben Jeffries and adds Tame Tupou to the Squad that defeated Wigan last week.

The 19 man Squad is: Sam Burgess, Paul Sykes, Shontayne Hape, Glenn Morrison (c), James Evans, Dave Halley, Michael Platt, Chris Nero, Iestyn Harris, Wayne Godwin, Tame Tupou, Simon Finnigan, Andy Lynch, Semi Tadulala, David Solomona, Terry Newton, Craig Kopczak, Paul Deacon, Jamie Langley

MILESTONES
PAUL DEACON has kicked 47 goals from 56 attempts this season for an average of 83.93%.

IESTYN HARRIS needs 2 Tries for a career total of 150. He has scored 148 Tries for Warrington, Leeds, Bradford, Gt. Britain, Wales and Gt. Britain Under 21's. He also needs 2 points for a total of 300 for the Bulls, having scored 33 tries, 82 goals and 2 drop goals in 117 appearances since joining them in July 2004.

WAYNE GODWIN needs 8 points for a career total of 300. The Hooker has scored 33 tries and kicked 80 goals in his 153 appearances.

SEMI TADULALA will make his 100th appearance on British Rugby League in Saturday's game. He has scored 46 Tries of which 9 have come in his 10 games for the Bulls this season.

News sent by: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

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