The fifth meeting of the season between the Leeds Rhinos and
St Helens was the most crucial as the two sides were fighting for the right to
travel to Craven Park and a game against the minor premiers, Hull KR, for a
spot in the Grand Final in a couple of weeks’ time.
Home advantage, and a single league place, made the Rhinos four-point
favourites with the bookies but with Saints having won three out of the four
encounters so far in 2025 there was nothing clear cut about who would emerge
victorious.
These two sides have a massive play-off pedigree and this
2025 encounter promised to be as fierce as any that had gone before, the Rhinos
needing to overcome a seven-game home losing streak against the red vee going
back to 2017.
Lachie Miller put the Leeds kick-off out on the full, the
most inauspicious of starts, the Rhinos starting their first set with the ball
on their own line.
Chris Hankinson spilled a high kick on seven minutes just ten
from his own line, but the Leeds defence held firm. As they moved the ball from
their own line Mikolaj Oledzki made a great break downfield for the Rhinos
first attack and after earning a scrum from a Harry Newman grubber, Hankinson
made amends as he took the pass to dove over in the left corner. Jake Connor swung
his touchline conversion between the uprights.
Brodie Croft got within a few centimetres on nineteen, then
Hankinson almost grabbed his second on the next tackle, but this time Saints
managed to defend their line under intense Leeds pressure.
On twenty-three a high kick wasn’t taken by Ryan Hall but
collected over his shoulder by Curtis Sironen who then found Morgan Knowles in
support who dropped the ball but got his boot to it before it hit the ground, Jonny
Lomax chasing the ball down and grounding by the sticks. Mark Percival added
the conversion and the sides were square.
On twenty-six James McDonnell added the Rhinos second after
stepping off both feet and ripping through the Saints defence to ground. Connor
added a second goal of the night for a 12-6 lead.
A high tackle from Cooper Jenkins on his own line gifted
Saints a set of six, and when Harry Newman stripped the ball from Tristan
Sailor in a two man tackle, and then the Rhinos were penalised for offside, the
pressure was ramped up against the Leeds line but Connor picked up a loose pass
and the Rhinos worked the ball from their own line.
Saints lost Matty Lees at half time, leaving the stadium to
join his partner who had gone into labour, Saints down to a three-man bench.
The first error of the half was a lost ball by Sailor to
give Leeds possession inside their opponents’ half. After a set restart, Ash
Handley had a try ruled out by a successful captain’s challenge for an
obstruction after the on-field official awarded the try.
Leeds should have scored a third try on fifty-six, but the
ball went to ground rather than into the hands of Brodie Croft.
Connor put a line clearing kick out on the full and gifted
Saints possession just fifteen out but he made amends on the fourth tackle when
he pushed Jack Welsby into touch when he looked certain to score.
A high tackle from Moses Mbye on Connor gifted the Rhinos a
penalty on the Saints thirty, the victim Connor accepting the invitation for an
eight-point advantage.
From the restart there was a moment of madness as Sironen
dropped a forearm on McDonnell, the referee just choosing to warn the captains.
On the last tackle, and with six minutes remaining, Jon Bennison
stretched for the line under the tackle. The referee called it as grounded short
but the video referee overruled and granted the try. Bennison added the extras,
Saints were back within two of the Rhinos.
Saints were awarded a penalty on the final hooter and from
the tap kept the ball alive through a dozen pairs of hands with Shane Wright
taking the final pass and bouncing over the line for the winning try. The Leeds
players collapsed, Bennison failed to add the extras, Saints into a play-off
semi-final against Hull KR next weekend.
It was a scrappy, nervy, clumsy but nevertheless enthralling
play-off eliminator. Saints snatched a win against the odds, and against the run
of play, mainly thanks to the video referee overruling the on field official
and granting the Bennison try. The Rhinos are crushed, Saints celebrate and
move into next week, what a game.
Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Hankinson (T),
Croft, Connor (G 3/3), Oledzki, O’Connor, Palasia, Gannon, McDonnell (T), Watkins.
Subs: Jenkins, Lisone, Bentley, Holroyd. 18th Man: Shorrocks.
St Helens: Sailor, Bennison (T, G 1/2), Robertson, Percival
(G 1/1), Cross, Welsby, Lomax (T), Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley,
Knowles. Subs: Mbye, Bell, Delaney, Wright (T). 18th Man: Stephens.
Half-Time: 12-6.
Full-Time: 14-16.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 6-4, 6-6, 10-6, 12-6 : HT: 14-6, 14-10, 14-12, 14-16 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Leeds – Square – Leeds – St Helens.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
