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Sat May 2 2009, 3:00PM GMTSat: Salford City Reds 16 l. Harlequins 24 at
Murrayfield, Scotland, UKSat May 2 2009, 5:00PM GMTSat: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 16 l. Bradford Bulls 32 at
Murrayfield, Scotland, UKSat May 2 2009, 7:00PM GMTSat: Wigan Warriors 38 d. St Helens 18 at
Murrayfield, Scotland, UKSun May 3 2009, 12:30PM GMTSun: Huddersfield Giants 40 d. Celtic Crusaders 16 at
Murrayfield, Scotland, UKSun May 3 2009, 2:45PM GMTSun: Hull FC 24 d. Castleford Tigers 16 at
Murrayfield, Scotland, UKSun May 3 2009, 5:00PM GMTSun: Les Catalans Dragons 16 l. Leeds Rhinos 36 at
Murrayfield, Scotland, UKSun May 3 2009, 7:00PM GMTSun: Warrington Wolves 28 l. Hull KR 36 at
Murrayfield, Scotland, UK
Mon May 4, 2009
Source: www.superleague.co.ukengage Super League champions Leeds produced a perfect first 40 minutes to ensure a return to winning ways and moved to within two points of faltering leaders St Helens.
The Rhinos went into the penultimate fixture of the Magic Weekend with just two wins from their previous seven league and cup matches but emphatically snuffed out any talk of a crisis with a brilliant first-half display that killed the game off.
Powerful winger Ryan Hall scored two tries, one of them a spectacular 70-metre effort straight from a restart, to take his tally for the season to 12 and help put his side into an unassailable 30-0 interval lead.
Catalans Dragons, who lost captain Greg Bird through injury at half-time, hit back to restore their pride but still finished a well-beaten side.
The Rhinos, who relegated Danny McGuire to a rare spot on the bench, gave a first start to hooker Danny Buderus and the former Australia international certainly sharpened up the Leeds attack with his organisation around the ruck.
Yet there was little hint of the carnage to come in a lively start by the Catalans in which Adam Mogg caught the eye despite unusually playing at scrum-half in his first game back after a month's absence with hamstring trouble.
The Dragons also had Bird back into the side following his return from Australia but he looked to be still feeling the effects of either jet lag or the abductor injury he suffered on his last appearance a fortnight earlier.
Either way, he failed to appear for the start of the second half and could now be facing another spell on the sidelines.
The signs were ominous for the French side when Leeds right winger Scott Donald went 60 metres to the line after only six minutes only to have the try disallowed by video referee Ben Thaler for a knock-on.
There was no doubt about the first score three minutes later, though, when Hall outjumped his opposite number Vincent Duport to touch down Rob Burrow's high kick and captain Kevin Sinfield kicked the first of six goals.
The clinical look to the Rhinos attack was illustrated when Buderus broke through to send Burrow over and when England captain Jamie Peacock took Sinfield's inside pass to crash over.
The Catalans lost 42-14 at Headingley earlier this year and their defensive weaknesses were further exposed when second rower Jamie Jones-Buchanan was put through a gap by Luke Burgess and full-back Brent Webb was in support to claim a superb try.
Even that long-range effort was eclipsed in the very next play when Leeds moved the ball wide from the restart and second rower Ali Lauitiiti's pass out of the tackle left Hall with a clear 70-metre sprint to the line.
At 30-0, the Dragons were facing another humiliation but they got a lucky break just 27 seconds into the second half when substitute Kane Bentley snaffled a stray Leeds pass and went 20 metres for a try.
That breathed new life into the Dragons and they added a second try when Mogg sent front-row forward Olivier Elima charging to the line, with Gregory Mounis landing both conversions.
The Catalans came from 26-0 down to beat Bradford in the Challenge Cup but Leeds ended any chance of a repeat on 66 minutes when Donald intercepted a sloppy pass by Elima and cantered 30 metres for the clinching try.
But the Frenchmen at least had the final say when hooker Casey McGuire grabbed a consolation try a minute from the end.
Fri March 20, 2009
The kick-off times for the matches in the engage Super League Magic Weekend have now been confirmed.
The weekend sees all seven games in Round 12 of engage Super League taking place at Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium in one big carnival-style weekend.
As well as seven exciting engage Super League fixtures, the weekend will be packed with interactive family entertainment including a Tag tournament for supporters and the new Mascot Highland games.
The action takes place over the early May Bank Holiday weekend (2nd / 3rd).
The RFL will make more announcements about the exciting Magic weekend entertainment very shortly but can now confirm that the matches themselves will kick-off at the following times:
Saturday 2nd May
Salford City Reds v Harlequins RL - ko 3pm
Wakefield Wildcats v Bradford Bulls - ko 5pm
Wigan Warriors v St Helens - ko 7pm
Sunday 3rd May
Huddersfield Giants v Celtic Crusaders - ko 12.30pm
Hull FC v Castleford Tigers - ko 2.45pm
Catalans Dragons v Leeds Rhinos - ko 5.00pm
Warrington Wolves v Hull KR - ko 7.00pm
Tickets for May's Magic Weekend are still available. A two day pass is priced from just 10 for concessions and 25 for adults.
To purchase tickets please call 0871 226 1313 or visit
www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.ukVisit the dedicated Magic Weekend website -
www.themagicweekend.co.uk
Round 12
Les Catalans Dragons 16 l. Leeds Rhinos 36
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