Leeds Rhinos 17, St Helens 4: YEP video review

YEP rugby league writer Peter Smith reflects on Leeds Rhinos' Magic Weekend win against St Helens at St James' Park.

Transcript

00:00Not only have Leeds Rhinos won at Magic Weekend here at St James' Park, they've done it against St Helens.

00:07That's two things that don't happen very often. 17-4 for final score, so that's a really precious two points for the Rhinos

00:15and thoroughly deserved, even if they made hard work of it, for a spell, particularly in the third quarter.

00:21Started really well, went 10-0 up and should have been further than 10-0 ahead at half-time but missed some chances.

00:27Saints weren't really in the game in the first half. They improved considerably after the break.

00:34Leeds helped them back into the game with a bit of discipline, a couple of penalties and six against conceded

00:40and a string of errors, which was unfortunate. It meant they struggled to get outside their own 20 for a spell.

00:48But a stroke of fortune, perhaps, got Leeds back into the game.

00:53Saints had Lewis Murphy sin-binned, which I thought it was a penalty, but probably not a sin-binding.

01:01And Jacksonfield kicked a drop goal in the next set.

01:04And Leeds had a try disallowed for a foot in touch by Riley Longwood, who'd scored the opener

01:10before they sealed it late on through Morgan Gannon.

01:13Certainly deserved the victory. I'd say, not a perfect performance, but a lot to admire about it, I thought.

01:20Defence was very strong. Totally conceded one try against St Helens.

01:23I know this is a St Helens team lacking form and confidence, but that's still a good effort.

01:29And in the first 20, when Leeds threw the ball around, they looked really good.

01:33That was an exciting style of play.

01:35I thought Jake Connor and Lackey Miller were Leeds' two best.

01:39But overall, a really important two points to send Leeds into the Challenge Cup break.

01:45And it keeps them in touch with the top four in Betford Super League.

01:48So onwards and upwards.