Leigh haven’t won at Headingley for thirty-nine years but sitting in second spot in the table, they sent a full-strength side over the Pennines, despite being within a week of a Challenge Cup Final appearance, optimistic for the win as they took on new look Leeds Rhinos side who will now have to see out the season without the game controlling Blake Austin who was released to the Castleford Tigers during the week.
Leeds had been made the favourites by the bookies, the Leopards getting a four-point start on the coupon, as those with a betting mind thought that the lure of a cup final berth would activate the ‘cup self-preservation’ mode amongst their leading players.
The loss would hurt the Rhinos much more than it would Leigh.
It was even in the early exchanged but after Gareth O’Brien tackled Ash Handley in the air ten from his own line the Rhinos had the first opportunity to score and after Jarrod O’Connor was held up on the line, the Leopards diffused the high kick to the corner.
Leeds were camped inside the Leigh twenty for several minutes but the visitors defence held firm. Somewhat against the run of play it was the Leopards who took the lead on twenty-two minutes when Edwin Ipape pushed his way over and managed to get the ball to ground for a 4-0 lead. Be Reynolds was unable to add the conversion from close to the touchline.
Leeds were dominating the game and most of it was being played in the Leigh half, but somehow the visitors were still leading on thirty-three but a scoot from acting half back from O’Connor saw the Leeds man ground under the sticks for the equalising try from ten metres out. Rhyse Martin added the extras and the Rhinos had the lead.
Four minutes after the restart and the Leopards were back in the lead when Tom Amone brushed aside the Leeds tacklers off an Ipape short pass as he stepped off both feet to ground by the left upright. Reynolds added the extras, Leigh with a 10-6 lead.
Sam Lisone was sin-binned for the Rhinos on fifty minutes for a careless trip on Tom Briscoe in centre field and a high tackle by Luis Roberts gave Reynolds a penalty goal to extend the lead to a converted try as the hour mark approached.
A late tackle from Matt Davis on Aidan Sezer gifted the Rhinos a penalty on the Leigh forty which they improved to the twenty with the kick. Four plays in and Leigh were offside ten from their own line and on seventy minutes O’Connor went close but dropped the ball under the tackle and was denied by the video referee.
O’Brien kicked a seventy fourth minute drop goal from twenty metres to seal the Leigh win and set them up brilliantly for next weeks cup final, as well as maintaining the pressure on the Catalans Dragons in top place.
Another great performance from Leigh as they broke another record in a season of record breaking. It was the perfect dress-rehearsal for the cup final as they travel to London to take on a Hull KR side who were walloped on Friday night. The Rhinos are now looking increasingly unlikely to make the play-offs after a disappointing season, simply not good enough for the Headingley faithful.
Leeds Rhinos: Hooley, MacDonald, Roberts, Martin (G), Handley, Johnson, Sezer, Oledski, O’Connor (T), Holroyd, Bentley, McDonnell, Smith. Subs: Lisone (SB on 50), Donaldson, Sinfield, Sangare. 18th Man: Ruan.
Leigh Leopards: O’Brien (DG), Briscoe, Chamberlain, Gildart, Nisbet, Reynolds (2G), Lam, Amone (T), Ipape (T), Mulhern, O’Donnell, Hughes, Asiata. Subs: Mellor, Wardle, Seumanufagai, Davis. 18th Man: Wilde.
Half-Time: 6-4.
Full-Time: 6-12.
Score Progression: 0-4, 4-4, 6-4 : HT: 6-8, 6-10, (SB), 6-12 : FT.
Lead Exchanges: Leigh – Square – Leeds - Leigh.
Referee: Marcus Griffiths.
