Leeds Rhinos 0 St Helens 26: Saints add to Rhinos’ problems at Headingley

It was Rhinos’ fifth defeat in as many games at Headingley this year, making this the worst start to a home season in Leeds’s history.

For the third successive home game, Rhinos failed to score in the first half, but – unlike the drubbings by Hull and Castleford Tigers – they were still in the contest at the break, when they trailed by eight, all those points coming in the opening 19 minutes.

Leeds were still in touch until the 55th minute, but an interception try turned the tide and Saints scored again in the next set to make the result safe.

With Castleford thrashing Toulouse Olympique, Rhinos have dropped a place to second from bottom in Betfred Super League, but last night’s performance gave them something to build on before their next game, at home to Huddersfield Giants in 12 days’ time.

The effort was certainly there and, despite conceding five tries, Leeds defended well for the most part, but their attack let them down, though Saints’ defence was very strong.

Leeds didn’t have a stand-out individual, but captain Kruise Leeming had a real go and Morgan Gannon played well off the bench – and some individuals raised their level from recent matches, without being able to get the job done.

It was the second time in three seasons Leeds have been nilled at home to Saints and they didn’t have possession in the visitors’ half until the 19th minute, by which time they trailed 8-0.

Rhinos regularly ran the ball on the last tackle, but did try some things. Late in the half Austin kicked from the base of a scrum on half-way for Tindall to chase, but Jonny Lomax read it well and got back to snuff out the danger.

Earlier, Leeming landed a terrific 40-20, but a forward pass by Austin to Cameron Smith wasted that opportunity.

The closest Rhinos got was when Leeming almost forced his way over from acting-half on the last, but he was tackled just short.

After all Saints’ territory and possession early on, Rhinos did well to still be in the game at the break.

Konrad Hurrell, playing against his former club for the first time, grabbed the first from James Roby’s pass at the base of a scrum – racing past Jack Broadbent’s missed tackle – after Ash Handley knocked on trying to intercept from Jack Welsby.

Leeming held up Roby over Rhinos’ line, following an error by Tindall, then Handley snapped up a loose ball and raced 80 
metres, but the whistle had already gone for a knock-on by Broadbent, making a tackle on Lomax.

High tackles by Sutcliffe and James Bentley on Lomax kept the pressure on and, on the last tackle, Tommy Makinson dived over at the corner from a pass by Welsby.

At the start of the second half, Jon Bennion dropped a high kick by Sutcliffe close to Saints’ line, but on the first play of the resulting set, Tindall was dragged into touch from a pass by Jack Walker, who would have been better taking the tackle.

Moments later, another kick from Sutcliffe was spilled by Makinson and, after a six-again and penalty, Walker cut through from Sutcliffe’s pass, but the touchdown was ruled out for an obstruction. That was the defining moment.

Saints weren’t exactly rocking, but they were being forced to dig deep, but - not for the first time this season - Leeds released the pressure with an error; Sutcliffe threw a no-look pass behind his back a few metres out and Makinson intercepted to go the length of the field for a try which Mark Percival converted.

Then, in the next set, Lewis Dodd finished off an outstanding move involving Percival and Bennison. Percival added a second goal and in the blink of an eye Leeds had gone from threatening to get right back in the game to trailing by 20 and well out of it.

Lomax scored a brilliant solo try, chipping over the defence, with nine minutes left, Pecival adding the extras to complete the scoring.

Muizz Mustapha was called up for the first time this season and came off the bench for the last 16 minutes.

Leeds: Walker, Handley, Broadbent, Briscoe, Tindall, Austin, Sutcliffe, Oledzki, Leeming, Prior, Bentley, Martin, Smith. Substitutes: O’Connor, Gannon, Donaldson, Mustapha.

St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Hurrell, Percival, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Pa’asi, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Batchelor, Sironen, Knowles. Substitutes: Lussick, Wingfield, Norman, Royle.

Referee: James Child (RFL).