Round three of Superleague XX got underway at Headingley where one of the hundred percenters, Leeds Rhinos, welcomed Huddersfield Giants, still looking for their first win of the season.

Both starting thirteens were unchanged from a fortnight ago, with just a few changes on both benches. Phil Bentham was on the whistle as driving rain and sleet greeted the players onto the field.


Leeds had a brilliant opening twenty-five minutes during which they opened up an eighteen point lead over a side that they've not managed to beat in the last seven meetings.

The first try came after five minutes when Sinfield gained good ground with a penalty kick. The Rhinos worked the ball close and McGuire was provider for Ablett to cross. On twenty-two the Rhinos new Aussie signing Cuthbertson crossed for his second try of the season and three minutes later the Giants were left reeling when a twenty metre break from Moon allowed him to find Hall in support to power twenty metres himself to cross.

Sinfield kicked all three conversions for a comfortable eighteen-nil lead. But the remaining quarter on an hour would be all the Giants and would see them back in contention at the interval.

On twenty-nine the visitors took full advantage of three consecutive sets in the Leeds twenty when Ellis spun out of a Hardaker tackle to bounce over the line. Brough kicked the goal, as he did five minutes later when Wardle crossed off a Ferres pass after the Rhinos had been penalised for kicking out at the scrum.

Eighteen to twelve at the interval and both teams were still in contention.

The Rhinos struck back right at the start of the second half thanks to a superb marauding Stevie Ward run for forty metres before finding Tom Briscoe to go in at the corner. Sinfield missed the conversion but his side had a ten point lead.

On the hour mark the sides exchanged bombed tries. McGilvary had a try ruled out for elbow in touch before he grounded the ball and two minutes later Achurch lost the ball in the act of scoring, a try which would have put the game beyond the Giants.

On sixty-three a magical inside kick from Cudjoe was collected and grounded by Kyle Wood and when Ferres spun over, four tackles after Peacock had been penalised, the boot of Brough gave Huddersfield a hard fought 24-22 lead.

Leeds wouldn't give it up. On seventy-three Paul Aiton scored his first ever try for Leeds when he reversed over the line from acting half to ground the ball above his shoulder. Sinfield added the two for 28-24 and the Rhinos managed the remaining five minutes to secure their third win of the season, and condemn the visitors to their third loss.

This was a great game for the neutral but a nerve jangler for supporters of both clubs. The Giants don't look like a side who should have zero from three, and the Rhinos are showing that they aren't in top gear in either attack or defence. A very competitive game and great entertainment.

Rhinos: Hardaker, Briscoe, Watkins, Moon, Hall, Sinfield, McGuire, Cuthbertson, Aiton, Peacock, Ablett, Ward, Jones-Buchanan. Subs: Achurch, Sutcliffe, Singleton, Leuluai.

Giants: Connor, McGilvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Murphy, Brough, Ellis, Huby, Lunt, Mulally, Ferres, Hughes, Ta'ai. Subs : Crabtree, Lawrence, Wood, Kopczak.

Referee: Phil Bentham.
Attendance: 12,878.