Super Review

Leeds claimed their fourth win of Super League XIII over rivals Bradford, defeating the Bulls 28-18 at the Headingley Carnegie Stadium.

Both teams entered the game in unusually poor form with the Rhinos only winning five from their last eight games in all competitions and the Bulls in serious danger of missing out on a playoff place for the first time since the formation of Super League.

Tempers flared up early on in the Yorkshire derby match, resulting in Michael Platt and Rob Burrow being sin binned after six minutes for their part in a skirmish on Leeds’ try line.

The following set resulted in an opening try for Bradford after good work from Lynch, then Jeffries, created the opportunity for Paul Sykes to open the scoring from close out down the right channel. Harris converted from the sideline to give the Bulls a 6-0 lead with eight minutes gone.

Jordan Tansey hit back for the Rhinos soon after when Webb found the winger with a long miss pass from centre field which invited Tansey to cross the Bradford try line unchallenged down Leeds’ left channel.

Luke Burgess quickly backed up for another Leeds try after supporting hooker Matt Diskin who made a clean break down the centre of the field with only the full back to beat. Burgess sprinted the final 20 metres to celebrate his first touch of the ball with a try under the sticks. Sinfield converted to give the Rhinos a 10-6 lead after a fairly even opening 20 minutes.

Nick Scruton was the third Leeds substitute to score a four pointer after ex Bulls captain Jamie Peacock carried the ball towards the Bradford line, before offloading to Scruton who plonked the ball down under the posts.

James Evans hit back for Bradford after out jumping McGuire in the air to collect Harris’ cross field chip kick and dive over the line. Harris converted from the touchline to put the Bulls within one score of the Rhinos who led 16-12 at half time.

Bradford started the stronger in the second half as Leeds’ Danny McGuire couldn’t cope with another Harris high kick, only managing to pat the ball back towards the posts. The ball was picked up and touched down by Wayne Godwin, leaving an easy conversion for Harris who put Bradford in an 18-16 lead after 42 minutes.

Bradford took the game to Leeds with exemplary forward play from Andy Lynch and a well executed kicking game enforced by Iestyn Harris.

Against the run of play, Leeds regained the lead through centre Carl Ablett, who expertly gathered in Diskin’s grubber kick and grounded the ball just inside the field of play. Burrow converted the try to put Leeds 22-18 in front going into the final 20 minutes.

Both teams went at each other hammer and tongue trying to gain advantage in a see saw like battle.

Leeds were still ahead going into the final ten minutes and stand off Danny McGuire was denied adding to the Rhinos’ lead after video referee Ian Smith correctly disallowed his attempt for a double movement.

Brutal Leeds defence and confident attacking play helped the Rhinos to hold off Bradford’s resurgence.

Right at the death, McGuire crossed the line again, this time legally, after taking a short ball from Sinfield and strolling in under the posts from close out. Sinfield added the extras which was followed by the sound of the full time hooter, confirming Leeds’ somewhat flattering 28-18 derby day win.

Despite being on the losing team, Bradford prop forward Andy Lynch was Sky Sports’ man of the match. After the game he told Sky Sports: “We just came up short, we’ve been very positive all week, and we’ve got to take the positives from tonight and take it into next week against Hull FC.”

England captain and Leeds prop forward Jamie Peacock told Sky Sports: “It was a great derby, Bradford played really well.

“When you play Bradford you have got to match them upfront and tonight I thought we did that.

“We needed to win and it starts us rolling on into the playoffs.”

Leeds Coach Brian McClennan told Sky Sports: “In the first half I thought we were pretty ordinary, second half I think we played ourselves into a bit of form, and I thought Bradford played well also but we hung on.

“I was really pleased with our defense, and it was good to score a try at the end, I thought we deserved it.

“We had to draw a line in the sand somewhere and it had to be tonight, we had to play with a better attitude and we did.”

Bradford Coach Steve McNamara told Sky Sports: “I’m very disappointed not to get the job finished off there in the end, it was a huge effort but I’m disappointed not to get the two points.

“The club and the team at this moment in time are in a place where we’re rebuilding and we have a real focus on where we want to go.

On the man of the match, McNamara said to Sky Sports: “Andy Lynch was super, I thought Peacock was good for Leeds as well, but over the course of the game I thought Andy was the best player on the pitch by far.”

The result puts Leeds back on level terms at the top of Super League with St. Helens, whilst Bradford narrowly stay in sixth spot with Wakefield, Hull KR and Harlequins hoping to replace the Bulls in the six.

In other round 24 results, Les Catalans held Wigan to a draw at 16-all, St Helens barely pipped Warrington 17-16, Huddersfield got the better of Hull FC 30-24, Harlequins continued to haunt Hull KR 40-16 while Castleford snatch win number six yet remain on the bottom of the Super League ladder after demolishing Wakefield 48-22.

Leeds Rhinos 28 – Tries: Tansey, Burgess, Scruton, Ablett, McGuire Goals: Sinfield (3), Burrow
Bradford Bulls 18 – Tries: Sykes, Evans, Godwin Goals: Harris (3) Referee: Ben Thaler Attendance: 17,508

Leeds Rhinos: Webb, Donald, Ablett, Senior, Smith, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Kirke, Ellis, Sinfield, Scruton, Burgess, Tansey, Worrall. Coach: Brian McClennan 

Bradford Bulls: Platt, Halley, Evans, Sykes, Tadulala, Jeffries, Harris, Vagana, Newton, Lynch, Cook, Finnigan, Langley, Johnson, Nero, Kopczak, Godwin. Coach: Steve McNamara