| Leeds (8) 32 |
| Tries: Newman 2, Martin, Myler, O’Connor, Olpherts, Holroyd Goals: Sezer, Martin |
| Catalans (22) 22 |
| Tries: Davies, Keighran, Pearce, Seguier Goals: Keighran 3 |
Leeds Rhinos spectacularly ended Catalans Dragons’ 100% start to the Super League season as they ran in seven tries at Headingley.
After trailing 22-8 at half-time, the Rhinos crossed the Dragons line five times after the break, the first two of them when they were down to 12 men.
Rhyse Martin had a bad day with the boot, missing his first five kicks.
But home centre Harry Newman led the way, atoning for his early second-half yellow card by crossing twice.
And he was aided by tries from Martin, Catalans old boy Richie Myler, Jarrod O’Connor, Derrell Olpherts and Tom Holroyd as the visitors’ defeat left Warrington, victors over Castleford on Friday, out on their own on top.
In contrast to Catalans’ five-game winning start to the campaign, Leeds had won only two of their first five games – but that included beating champions St Helens and nilling Wakefield in their last home game.
They quickly showed that they would again be a real threat in this match when, after former Wigan wing Tom Davies dived in to score at the right corner, improved from the touchline by Adam Keighran’s curling left foot conversion, Leeds responded to that early Catalans score with two quickfire tries.
Newman went in at the right corner before Martin kicked a loose ball through wide on the left and won the chase to ground the ball first. But he failed with both touchline conversions and when the Rhinos had a Nene MacDonald try denied on review for having a foot in touch, it was the Dragons who went back in front with two tries in quick succession for Keighran and fellow Australian Mitchell Pearce.
After Zane Tatevano had another Leeds try chalked off for a forward pass, Catalans were over again for their fourth try just before half-time when Leeds dangerously tried to offload close to their own line and Paul Seguier pounced on the loose ball to score.
With a 14-point deficit at half-time, it looked set to get even worse for Leeds when they were reduced to to 12 men for 10 minutes – Newman yellow-carded for indiscipline.
But it proved the turning point as Myler ghosted through to score, before young O’Connor bustled his way over from dummy half.
Martin missed both conversions, hitting the post with the second of them before he failed again with goal attempt number five. But that try came from Martin’s own opportunistic steal to allow the influential Blake Austin to break down the left for Olpherts to cut inside and score.
Despite outscoring the visitors four tries it left Leeds still trailing, but not for long after Austin’s 40/20 set up Holroyd to find a gap on 67 minutes and put his side back in front for the second and final time.
A change of kicker to Aidan Sezer finally brought its reward to earn a four-point cushion. But, when Myler then went half the length of the field to thrillingly set up Newman’s match-clinching second try, Martin was given one more chance to kick for goal and this time he nailed it.
Who’s next?
Leeds are back in action at Hull KR on Friday, while Catalans will hope to get back on course next Saturday at home to struggling Castleford.
Leeds: Myler; Fusitu’a, Newman, Martin, Macdonald; Austin, Sezer; Holroyd, O’Connor, Walters, McDonnell, Tetevano, C Smith.
Interchanges: Johnson, Sangare, Lisone, Olpherts, Donaldson.
Sin-bin: Newman (44)
Catalans Dragons: Mourgue; Davies, Keighran, Romano, Johnstone; May, Pearce; Garcia, Ma’u, Whitley, Bousquet, McIlorum, McMeeken.
Interchanges: Da Costa, Goudemand, Seguier, Dezaria, Chan.
Referee: Liam Moore.