Leeds hit back after setback to lift hopes of survival

Irish had led 16-3 after 32 minutes courtesy of a lovely try from centre Seilala Mapusua, a penalty from Chris Malone and eight further points from Ryan Lamb.

But Leeds, for whom Hendre Fourie was simply magnificent, responded with tries from Luther Burrell, Daniel Browne and Mike MacDonald to turn the game on its head.

The win moves Neil Back’s basement side to within seven points of fellow strugglers Newcastle, who had claimed what may yet turn out be a vital win on Leeds’s territory the weekend before.

This was only Leeds’s second league win of the season and the first since parting company with rugby director Andy Key.

A victory would have moved Irish into the top four but they instead remain sixth having played two games more than their principal rivals.

Leeds were boosted by the availability of England duo Steve Thompson and Fourie, while Adrian Jarvis and Scott Mathie came in at half-back following defeat to the Falcons.

Irish made just the one change from victory over Harlequins as Jonathan Joseph came in on the wing.

Given the wretched season Leeds are having it was little surprise when the Exiles assumed control from the first whistle and they took a 6-0 lead inside the opening quarter.

A surging run from flanker Jamie Gibson laid the foundations for fly-half Malone to slot the opening three-pointer and, with the Australian having departed through injury, replacement Lamb doubled the advantage after a scrum infringement.

Leeds had by that stage seen their captain Marco Wentzel depart the fray, former All Black Sean Hohneck his second-row replacement, and they then spurned a chance as Henry Fa’afili failed to find a support runner after Jarvis’s grubber.

Irish were dominating territory and possession and only some poor offloading from wing Joseph and flanker George Stowers kept them from claiming the opening try, but a third penalty from Lamb, after Leeds were carelessly offside chasing a kick, extended the lead.

Leeds had barely visited the away side’s half and it was 25 minutes before they were awarded their first penalty, Jarvis stepping up to put the Yorkshire side on the board.

But Irish quickly struck back with a fluent try. Daniel Bowden’s inside pass put wing Topsy Ojo into space and he had the simple task of putting Mapusua over by the posts. Lamb added the extras.

It looked as though Leeds were set to suffer a heavy defeat but they responded immediately as Jarvis’s weighted cross-kick allowed Burrell to cross from their first threatening attack and keep them in the game at the break.

Jarvis missed a straightforward chance to land his second penalty before Exiles full-back Tom Homer fell short with a mammoth effort from halfway.

Leeds were enjoying a spell in the ascendancy and it took some excellent work from Ojo to gather another grubber by Jarvis, after powerful carrying by flanker Kearnan Myall.

But the hosts’ failure to convert pressure into points was punished as Lamb coolly slotted a drop-goal on 57 minutes to once again open up a nine-point lead.

Lamb could have finished the game had he held an intercept chance, and Leeds made the most of that let-off by scoring their second try.

Mathie took a penalty quickly in the Irish 22 and Jarvis sent Browne on a battering run to the line, Jarvis adding the extras to make it 19-17.

Irish looked rattled and Leeds’s renewed belief saw them batter away at the Exiles’ line and, after full-back Michael Stephenson was stopped short, replacement prop MacDonald barged over to put them in front for the first time.

Jarvis again added the extras and his late penalty denied Irish a losing bonus point.

Leeds Carnegie: Stephenson, Fa’afili, Burrell, S Barrow (Tadulala for 40), Wackett, Jarvis, Mathie, Hardy (MacDonald 51), Thompson, Swainston (Gomez 51), Browne (Paul 73), Wentzel (Hohneck 14), Myall, Fourie, To’oala.

Replacements not used: Freer, Fury, Thomas.

London Irish: Homer, Ojo, Mapusua, Bowden, Joseph (Thompstone 51), Malone (Lamb 14), Hodgson, Dermody, Buckland, Rautenbach (Ion 51), Kennedy, Casey (Roche 51), Gibson, S. Armitage, Stowers (Thorpe 61), Roche (Herring 79).

Replacements not used: Lahiff, Allinson.

Referee: R Debney (RFU).

Scorers: Leeds – tries: Burrell, Browne, MacDonald; cons: Jarvis 3; pens: Jarvis 2.

London Irish – try: Mapusua; cons: Lamb; pens: Malone, Lamb 2; dg: Lamb.

England duo ‘infect’ clubmates with positive mentality

Leeds head coach Neil Back says the belief of England squad members Steve Thompson and Hendre Fourie was a key element in his side’s 27-19 win over London Irish at Headingley.

The previous week’s defeat to fellow strugglers Newcastle had led many to condemn already the Yorkshire side to relegation from the Aviva Premiership.

Newcastle’s win over Harlequins on Friday added further weight to that pessimism and at 16-3 down after 32 minutes against the Exiles a heavy defeat appeared on the horizon for the hosts.

But tries from centre Luther Burrell, lock Daniel Browne and replacement prop Mike MacDonald turned the game on its head and gave Leeds just a second win of the season to move within seven points of the Falcons at the foot of the table.

Thompson and Fourie were unable to face Newcastle last weekend having played for England the day before, but they were released earlier this week and both produced workaholic displays to help turn the contest around.

And Back believes being part of a Grand Slam-chasing side at Test level has given the duo an energy that rubbed off on their club-mates.

“Belief is a massive part of the jigsaw,” he said. “Last week we had tremendous hurt and what Hendre and Steve brought from the England environment was belief and that winning mentality.

“That is infectious and it infected the players and made a difference.

“Hopefully those players can be involved with England and the pursuit of the Grand Slam and hopefully as a squad we can continue the belief.”

Former England flanker Back also hailed the resolve of his squad following defeat to Newcastle, and believes that togetherness means they can yet avoid the drop to the Championship.

He said: “Last week did not truly demonstrate how good Leeds can be. It’s been a long seven days until we can play again, but if the public or anyone outside the environment needed a demonstration of the togetherness and the squad ethos we have got it was shown (yesterday). The spirit in the squad belies where we are.

“We lost our captain (Marco Wentzel to a calf injury) 20 minutes in but it did not faze the players and our performance was better. We did not make the errors we made last week. In the Premiership if you turn the ball over 19 times you won’t win. We didn’t do that (yesterday).”