Finals Week 3
Leeds Rhinos 27 d. Catalans Dragons 20

2009 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Donald demands more
Sun October 4, 2009
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Leeds Rhinos will go into their sixth Super League Grand Final on the back of their best run of the season but winger Scott Donald insists they will need to find yet more improvement if they are complete a hat-trick of wins.

A 27-20 win over Catalans Dragons in Friday night's first semi-final enabled the defending champions to book their place at Old Trafford next Saturday and put their feet up to watch Wigan Warriors and St Helens do battle for the right to meet them.

It was the Rhinos' seventh win in a row and they head for Old Trafford with just one defeat in their last 14 matches yet Donald reveals the players were far from satisfied with their efforts.

"We'll need to play a lot better than that really," he said. "The guys came off the field not entirely happy with their performance but we'll work on this week at training and hopefully put our best foot forward at Old Trafford.

"We've had a good run of late and are managing to score plenty of points but last night's game showed we have plenty of things still to work on. We'll work on them in the week and hopefully get them right on Grand Final night."

Fresh from a week off, Leeds were forced to endure a physical confrontation from the in-form Catalans and Donald admits the tough work-out will have sharpened their preparation for the title defence.

"We knew it would be a very tough game," he said. "They have big strong guys and they kept coming forward. It's always good to get a tough game going into a final. It gets everyone's frame of mind ready to prepare for what lies ahead.

"Any team that makes a final, their confidence is going to be high and we're no different. We're delighted to be going to Old Trafford."

Donald, who was Leeds' leading tryscorer last year with 21, scored his 13th of the season in the semi-final but still lags way behind his fellow winger Ryan Hall, who touched down twice to take his tally for the season to 32 from 30 appearances.

Donald is thrilled for the 21-year-old Hall, who is enjoying a memorable first full season in engage Super League and also scored on his debut for England against France in June.

"It's great," said Donald. "He's a young guy who is just coming into the game and he just played international for the first time this year.

"He's great to be around and, as long as he keeps scoring tries, I'm happy. It's a remarkable tally, a try a game is a great record for anyone."


Rhinos seal Grand Final return
Sat October 3, 2009
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Prolific winger Ryan Hall took his try tally for the season to 33 as Leeds Rhinos secured a record-equalling sixth Grand Final appearance and kept alive their hopes of a first hat-trick of engage Super League titles with a 27-20 triumph over Catalans Dragons.

England international Hall touched down twice and stand-off Danny McGuire also grabbed two tries as the defending champions ended the gallant run of Catalans in a full-blooded semi-final at Headingley Carnegie to book their place at Old Trafford against St Helens or Wigan Warriors next Saturday.

For the Dragons, making a fourth trip to England in as many weeks, it was a game too far, although they started and finished the tie arguably the stronger side, with right winger Vincent Duport registering a hat-trick of tries.

There were early signs that Leeds' decision to select the French club as their semi-final opponents might backfire on them as the big Catalans forwards tore into them.

However, Jamie Peacock stood tall in the early onslaught and, as skipper Kevin Sinfield began dictating play, Leeds showed their class and scored three tries in a six-minute purple patch just before half-time to seize control.

Encouraged by a rare knock-on from Leeds full-back Brent Webb, the Dragons made the more impressive start, with two early breaks by skipper Greg Bird and, such was their confidence, that they declined an easy penalty kick at goal.

But Leeds soaked up the pressure and drew first blood after Webb broke from deep inside his own half to set up the position for McGuire to take Sinfield's pass and dummy his way over for the game's first try on 13 minutes.

Sinfield's conversion made it 6-0 but when McGuire failed to collect Thomas Bosc's re-start, Catalans were handed a perfect attacking scrum and they made the most of it.

Danger man Adam Mogg cut across to the right and when the Rhinos defence failed to cover the danger, Duport was presented with a clear run to the corner for his first try.

Leeds almost scored again when centre Lee Smith won the race to McGuire's stabbed kick to the line but could not control the touchdown.

However, the champions pulled out to a 12-point lead with two tries from Hall in a four-minute spell.

He took Rob Burrow's long pass to cross at the corner unopposed and then got on the end of a break from second rower Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who was released by a superb pass from Sinfield and ankle-tapped by full-back Clint Greenshields.

That made it 16-4 but the best was yet to come from the champions when Scott Donald broke clear down the right flank and McGuire collected his inch-perfect kick inside to register his second try.

The champions were on a roll and it took them only two minutes of the second half to extend their lead to a handsome 26-4.

Sinfield's distribution caused the visitors problems all night and it was from another of his long passes that Donald went over in acres of space for his side's fifth try.

The Dragons showed some fight despite being outclassed and neat passing from Thomas Bosc, Greenshields and Sebastien Raguin enabled Duport to cross for his second try on 45 minutes.

And the strong-running Duport completed his hat-trick nine minutes later after more good work from the hugely influential Mogg.

Bosc succeeded with his first conversion to make it 26-14, but Sinfield eased any anxiety in the champions' camp with a drop goal to edge his side three scores clear, rendering Mogg's late converted try mere consolation for the visitors.

Fri October 2, 2009
• McClennan urges fans to make it a night to remember
  

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