FORUMS FORUMS






RLFANS.COM
Celebrating
25 years service to
the Rugby League
Community!

  

One of the two remaining Super League one-hundred-percenters, the Catalans Dragons, took on a Round Six trip to Emerald Headingley to take on a Leeds Rhinos side who suffered defeat at the hands of Castleford Tigers last weekend as they continued their indifferent start to the new campaign.

A win by forty-seven points or more would lift the Dragons above Warrington on points difference and into top spot in the table, while a win by forty points or more would see the Rhinos above Hull KR and into fourth spot. In reality, neither winning margin was likely.

The Dragons were slight favourites with the bookies, but they were struggling to find much difference between the two sides, the Rhinos only getting a measly two-point start on the handicap coupon.

There were only three minutes on the clock when the Dragons opened the scoring, Tom Davies taking the pass five from the Leeds line and launching himself to ground in the corner with most of his body airborne over the touchline. Adam Keighran added the conversion from the touchline for a 6-0 start to silence the decent home crowd.

Some imaginative play from the Rhinos saw them progress the length of the field over a set of six with Cameron Smith putting in a final flighted pass to Harry Newman to slide over in the right corner. Rhyse Martin was wide of the far post with his kick, Leeds still two points adrift.

On twelve Rhyse Martin scored a wonder try as he picked up a loose ball thirty from the Dragons line, put in a grubber which he chased himself and forced onto the ground on the try line for a sensational four points. The Rhinos stand in centre put his conversion attempt short of the sticks, his side two points ahead, but the wind in the Rhinos faces causing some issues with the boot.

On fifteen Nene MacDonald went for the line but put a hand in touch a split second before he grounded, the video referee agreeing with the on-field official in ruling out the try.

On twenty-two a great flighted pass from Tyrone May put Keighran over down the left side to dive over the line.  Keighran pushed his kick wide of the near upright, the Dragons with a two point advantage.

MacDonald lost the ball in the tackle on his own ten metres line on twenty-six and on the fourth tackle Mitchell Pearce forced the ball onto the ground by the right upright to extend the Dragons lead. Keighran added the extras for 16-8 to the visitors, McNamara´s side riding their luck.

Leeds had a try ruled out on thirty-four after a Richie Myler forward pass to Zane Tetevno when the rhinos had a four on two overlap.

A Leeds brain explosion on their own line, an attempted offload to prevent a goal-line dropout, went to Dragons hands with Paul Séguir picking up the loose ball and dropping over the line. Keighran added the conversion and despite it being a close competition the visitors had a 22-8 lead at the interval.

Leeds problems were compounded on forty-five When Newman was sin-binned for dissent to referee Liam Moore. The Rhinos their own worst enemies.

A great break from Blake Austin, swatting away the Dragons tacklers, allowed him to the Dragons twenty. Leeds played the ball fast and with a neat one-two,  Richie Myler found the space to run in from ten metres to dive in for a much needed Leeds try for the twelve men. Martin couldn´t add the extras, the Rhinos still ten adrift.

On fifty-four, and still down a man, the Rhinos went in again as Jarrod O´Connor scooted from acting half back into a massive gap in the Dragons defence for the Rhinos fourth try. This time Martin hit the posts, four failures from four attempts, and Leeds were still six adrift.

On fifty-nine Newman went over in the right corner but a great tackle from Matt Whitley saw the Rhinos centre put a foot into touch before grounding.

Mike McMeeken spilled the ball in the tackle on the halfway line and after Derrell Olpherts picked up the loose ball he put Blake Austin free to break down the wing before finding the supporting Olpherts who took the pass and rounded towards the post to score.  Martin missed his fifth consecutive conversion attempt and Leeds were still two points adrift with eighteen minutes remaining.

Austin kicked a 40-20 on sixty-five and two tackles into the set a delightful, delayed pass from Austin found Tom Holroyd running the angle to go through a gap to score. Aidan Sezer took over the kicking duties and floated his kick between the uprights.

The Rhinos sealed the win on seventy-four when Richie Myler picked up a poor Catalans kick on his own line and made it to the Dragons forty before finding Newman in support to dive over under the sticks. Martin was finally on target and the Rhinos had a ten-point lead with four minutes remaining.

The Rhinos outscored the league leading Dragons by seven tries to four and inflicted the first defeat of the season on the French side who now drop two points behind the league leaders. This was a sensational fightback from the home side who appeared out of the game at the interval when they trailed by 22-8 but they kept their opponents pointless in the second half, ten minutes of it with twelve men. The Rhinos are up to seventh but most important for them will be the confidence that they will take from this fightback win and twenty-four unanswered second half points.

Leeds Rhinos: Myler (T), Fusitu´a, Newman (2T, SB on 45), Martin (T, G), MacDonald, Austin, Sezer (G), Holroyd (T), O´Connor (T), Walters, McDonnell, Tetevano, Smith.  Subs: Johnson, Lisone, Sangare, Olpherts (T). 18th Man: Donaldson.

Catalans Dragons: Mourgue, Johnstone, Romano, Keighran (T, 3G), Davies (T), Pearce (T), May, McMeeken, McIlorum, Bousquet, Whitley, Ma´u, Garcia. Subs: Da Costa, Goudemand, Séguier (T), Dezaria. 18th Man: Chan.

Half-Time: 8-22.  

Full-Time: 32-22.

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 8-6, 8-10, 8-14, 8-16, 8-20, 8-22 : HT : (SB), 12-22, 16-22, 20-22, 24-22, 26-22, 30-22, 32-22 : FT.

Lead Exchanges: Catalans – Leeds – Catalans - Leeds.

Referee: Liam Moore.



facebook sharing button
twitter sharing button
pinterest sharing button
email sharing button
sharethis sharing button


Posted by RLFANS News Hound on Sat 25th Mar 2023 2:54 PM | Views : 5760 | Replies : 0 | BACK TO STORIES
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
0m
BORED The Band Name Game
Boss Hog
55959
1m
Game - Song Titles
Wanderer
34244
2m
Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4
Emagdnim13
8702
31m
The Bulls away
Listenup94
6
41m
Fevround 2
upthetrin92
82
55m
The official Leon Hayes Thread
Snaggletooth
9
55m
Huddersfield - Home
BigTime
5
Recent
Challenge Cup
Captain Hook
34
Recent
The Good Friday Derby Massacre
Dave K.
115
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
45s
Saints a
Itchy Arsena
12
49s
Shopping list for 2025
Tarquin Fueg
405
1m
Fevround 2
upthetrin92
82
1m
No grade A for 2025 for Trinity
imwakefieldt
19
2m
Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE
Zig
1933
2m
WIRE YED Prediction Competition Catalans Home
Bobby Digita
10
2m
Huddersfield - Home
BigTime
5
2m
Dons v Swinton Lions 30 June 2024
Wanderer
1
2m
The Wigan Way - New Podcast - Chairman Special
Jukesays
1
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Dons v Swinton Lions 30 June 2024
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Squad for Sheffield
AdamH
1
TODAY
London Away
Fartown58
1
TODAY
The Bulls away
Listenup94
6
TODAY
The official Leon Hayes Thread
Snaggletooth
9
TODAY
Saints a
Itchy Arsena
12
TODAY
Leon Ruan signs on loan
Jemmo
2
TODAY
Wardle
Jo Jumbuck
3
TODAY
Huddersfield - Home
BigTime
5
TODAY
Max Wood on loan to Bradford 2 weeks
rubber ducki
7
TODAY
Jake Wardle 5 Year deal
Zig
22
TODAY
No grade A for 2025 for Trinity
imwakefieldt
19
TODAY
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangements
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
Rd 6 I Cas A
batleyrhino
20
TODAY
WIRE YED Prediction Competition Catalans Home
Bobby Digita
10
TODAY
Spare Tickets Friday
Azul
3
TODAY
RL Podcast
AgbriggAmble
1
TODAY
Challenge Cup
Captain Hook
34
TODAY
2024 Challenge Cup Quarter Final Draw
RLFANS News
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangeme..
470
2024 Challenge Cup Quarter Fin..
582
Easy Does It For The Dragons A..
515
Warrington Demolish London For..
636
Leigh Leopards Beat Plucky Fea..
687
Saints Triumph Over Disappoint..
660
Easy Win for the Wolves Over L..
911
Dragons Condemn Castleford To ..
893
Leigh Leopards Secure First Po..
1041
St Helens Tame The Rhinos To W..
1009
Wigan Warriors Come From Behin..
1064
Betfred Championship and Leagu..
1052
2024 Challenge Cup Sixth Round..
3826
Featherstone Win Extra Time Cu..
1176
Dragons Triumph Over Hull FC t..
1055
RLFANS Match Centre
Matches on TV
Table 'boards.stats_fixtures' doesn't exist