The final game of the Rivals round saw the Leeds Rhinos host the Huddersfield Giants as seventh played eighth for a place in the top six at the end of the weekend and as the competition reached the quarter point of the 2023 season.
A win would take the Rhinos above their opponents today, but a win by twenty-nine or more points would see them above Salford and into sixth. A win by more than sixteen would see the Giants above St Helens and into fifth spot in the table while if they were to beat the Rhinos by thirty-three or more, they would send Leeds below Leigh in the table.
The bookies had installed the Rhinos as slight favourites but had only given the Giants a two-point start on the coupon. The scene was set for a classic battle between two evenly matched sides.
Three minutes after the first whistle the Giants registered the first try when a Jake Connor kick took a ricochet, was palmed back by Connor into the hands of Tui Lolohea who found Jermaine McGillvary in space to go in down the wing and score in the corner. Connor was unable to add the extras from the touchline.
Three minutes later the Rhinos defence was almost non-existent as Chris McQueen hit the ball at speed off a Chris Hill pass to score under the sticks. This time Connor was on target, and it was a near perfect start for the Giants as they went 10-0 ahead.
It got worse for Leeds on fourteen when Richie Myler was sin-binned for a high and careless tackle on McGillvary, although he did prevent another Huddersfield try.
On twenty-one the Rhinos were penalised for being offside after Leeds knocked on a high kick, Jake Connor slotting the ball between the uprights for 12-0.
As Myler readied himself for a return Harry Newman intercepted a Giants pass and broke downfield before earning his side a penalty inside the Giants twenty. The Rhinos were starting to wake up after sleeping through the first twenty.
It had been all Leeds since the return of Myler and on thirty-three the Rhinos kept the ball alive on the last tackle with a great ball from Blake Austin to Ash Handley for the Rhinos winger to exploit space on the overlap and score in the corner. Martin was wide if the left upright with his kick, the Rhinos still eight adrift.
With fifteen seconds remaining on the first half clock, Connor retained his composure and slotted over a drop goal from twenty-five metres for a 13-4 half time lead.
On forty-six the Rhinos went in for their second of the night with James McDonnell taking a pass from Blake Austin and turning on the speed to go through a gap and avoid a tackle to score. Martin was wide again with his conversion attempt, the Rhinos five behind but on the front foot.
Expansive play from the Rhinos, passing and offloading their way down the field from deep inside their own half thanks to an initial break from Harry Newman saw the ball end up in the hands of Rhyse Martin who used the space his side had earned him and went in down the left-hand side to improve the angle. Aidan Sezer attempted the conversion, but he pushed the ball wide, the Rhinos scoring more tries than the Giants but still behind by a point with twenty-four minutes remaining.
On fifty-eight a high kick from Austin wasn´t dealt with by the Giants defence, McGillvery knocking the ball on into one of his own players with the ball bouncing into goal where it was grounded by Cameron Smith to put the Rhinos into the lead. Martin was back with the kicking duties and this time he hit the mark. The Rhinos now 18-13 ahead with twenty minutes remaining. The game was delivering the pre-game promise.
On sixty-seven and the Giants scored their first try of the second half after a Lolohea break who waited for support before the ball was moved right on the next play with McQueen finding the gap in the Leeds defence to take a Connor pass and go in. Connor was wide with his conversion attempt from a very kickable position, the Rhinos with a one-point lead and ten minutes remaining.
Lolohea attempted a drop goal to tie the scores on seventy-seven, but his effort went wide of the uprights.
It was a great start from the Giants who raced into a big early lead but all credit to a Rhinos side who fought back over the remaining seventy and pinched the victory, and the two points, to go above the Giants and into seventh place in the table. There were great performances across both seventeens, Leeds just showing slightly more patience and go-forward.
Leeds Rhinos: Myler (SB on 14), MacDonald, Newman, Martin (T, G), Handley (T), Austn, Sezer, Oledzki, O´Connor, Holroyd, Bentley, McDonnell (T), Smith (T). Subs: Tetevano, Sangare, Lisone, Johnson. 18th Man: Tindall.
Huddersfield Giants: Pryce, McGillvary (T), Marsters, Naiqama, Halsall, Connor (2G, DG), Lolohea, Hill, Peats, English, McQueen (2T), Livett, Yates. Subs: O´Brien, Ikahihifo, Rushton, Ashworth. 18th Man: Cudjoe.
Half-Time: 4-13.
Full-Time: 18-17.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-8, 0-10, (SB), 0-12, 4-12, 4-13 : HT : 8-13, 12-13, 16-13, 18-13, 18-17 : FT.
Lead Exchanges: Huddersfield - Leeds.
Referee: Ben Thaler.
