Cleared to play by a remarkably lenient judgment from the RFL judiciary, Smith made the most of his second chance by producing the most influential and impressive 80 minutes of his career to help complete a historic double first.

Pressed into emergency service at full-back following the late withdrawal of New Zealand international Brent Webb with a back injury, the 22-year-old winger scored one try, put Leeds in the position to score another and acted as a steadfast last line of defence at a rain-lashed Old Trafford.

Smith's efforts earned him the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match on a night when Leeds staged their first successful defence of the league title and became the first club to be crowned world club and Super League champions in the same season.

His heroics came just a few days after he escaped suspension for a rash act in Leeds's elimination final defeat of Wigan a week earlier, when he was found guilty of kicking the face of Phil Bailey as he attempted to get to his feet in a tackle.

Having been found guilty but not banned, Smith showed the more wholesome side of his character as the Rhinos brought St Helens' 23-match unbeaten run to a juddering halt with a display rich in character, class and collective resolve.

All the pre-match fears that Saints would prove too strong for opponents they had hammered 38-10 just two weeks before and who were likely to be diminished by Webb's absence were emphatically dispelled by the defending champions.

But for the occasional flutter of nerves, and their undoing by an impressive attacking move which brought St Helens the opening try after just six minutes, Leeds were possessed of a level of authority which brooked no argument from the Challenge Cup and League Leaders Shield holders.

Just as they had done in beating Melbourne Storm seven months earlier, Leeds produced an exemplary effort in defence allied to a near-faultless kicking game to win by a scoreline which does scant justice to their dominance.

While Saints always threatened danger with ball in hand, the Rhinos held firm to the very last to spark wild celebrations on and off the pitch in a stadium packed with almost 69,000 fans.

St Helens, who started as 4-9 favourites to avenge their 33-6 defeat at Old Trafford a year earlier, looked to be in the mood to justify those odds when they opened up Leeds with clinical efficiency with just five minutes and 23 seconds on the clock.

The way though was prised open by a deft pass from Sean Long, who sent Lee Gilmour scurrying through a gap 44 metres out and into space.

Gilmour kept his wits about him as the defence closed in and slipped the ball to Paul Wellens who quickly returned it for the former Bradford man to put James Graham, the Man of Steel, over by the posts.

Both teams squandered possession over the next quarter of an hour before Leeds came good following a break by Smith, who coolly cleaned up a low kick by Francis Meli to give his side momentum with a 30-metre run.

Three minutes later a high tackle on Smith by Long enabled Kevin Sinfield to take Leeds deep into the Saints half with a long kick to touch on the right, setting up the position from which the ball was worked to the left for Jamie Jones-Buchanan to squeeze out a telling pass and put Smith over for his try.

Sinfield's conversion levelled the scores and the loose forward added a second to take his side into the break with a 12-6 lead after Ryan Hall, deputising on the wing to facilitate Smith's move to full-back, had claimed a fine try.

The 20-year-old took his chance well after Sinfield's long pass to Keith Senior had caught Meli out of position, allowing Hall to dribble the ball down the right touchline and squeeze past Willie Talau to score.

Ensconced in the home dressing room at half-time, coach Daniel Anderson gave the St Helens players the full hairdryer treatment so beloved of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and his words brought a telling response soon after restart when Matt Gidley scored from a high kick by Long.

The scrum-half's touchline conversion levelled the scores only for Smith to turn the final Leeds's way with a punishing 40:20 kick that gave Leeds the scrum from which Sinfield slid through a low kick for Danny McGuire to score the first of his two tries.

Smith then helped save a try by holding up Graham as the prop crashed over the line on the last tackle but the full-back was powerless to prevent Super League's top try-scorer going over from a long pass by James Roby. Long could not convert and Leeds were just two points in front, a lead they extended on 62 minutes when Meli was unable to take a high kick to his wing by Sinfield. Sensing an opportunity, McGuire regathered the loose ball and slipped out of Paul Wellens's attempted tackle before cutting back inside and stepping effortlessly off his left foot to scythe through a gap and score.

Sinfield's fourth goal completed the scoring but the action was no less gripping as the final reached a climax which saw Leeds strengthen their grip on proceedings to run out worthy winners.

Referee: A Klein (Keighley).

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