Rhinos finally ready to reap their rewards on game’s biggest stage

PEEL away the hype, gushing praise and reluctant admiration heaped on Wigan Warriors by many and it is easy to see why Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McDermot remains confident his side will overcome the clear favourites in tomorrow’s Carnegie Challenge Cup final.

Granted, their opponents, Super League champions and current leaders, are in irresistible form, having not lost in their previous dozen games.

In Sam Tomkins, Wigan possess the most dangerous player in the northern hemisphere, their captain, Sean O’Loughlin, has grown into one of the most influential players of recent times and, as a unit, the team boasts unerring efficiency.

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In contrast, a 32-22 loss at Harlequins, a club which had won just once in 19 Super League games, was hardly the most encouraging performance for Leeds heading into their Wembley date.

But looking at which opponents have troubled Wigan most this season and, apart from Catalan, undoubtedly, it is the West Yorkshire club.

Indeed, in a campaign where they have struggled for consistency, two of Leeds’ finest performances have been against the Cherry and Whites even though they have yet to savour a victory.

Enough positives were gleaned from those Super League meetings alone to leave McDermott suitably encouraged.

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“We’ve got to make sure at the event, the bit at Wembley, we stay controlled and do what we plan to do,” he said.

“If we do – and it’s not easily done but neither is it scaling Mount Everest – then, given this team have been on the big stage a lot, what we can say is the previous two times we’ve played Wigan this year as a team, collectively, we’ve gone real well.

“There hasn’t been some individual brilliance that has saved our blushes or we were out-performed and then somebody came and scored two tries which made it close.

“We drew the first time at home and, credit to Wigan, they came back really strong but for 65 minutes we were outstanding.

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“Then, over at DW Stadium, again we delivered a really strong team performance.

“That was out of our control whether we won or lost.”

A video referee decision that ruled out Danny McGuire’s ‘try’ – which match officials director Stuart Cummings later admitted was incorrect – proved crucial as Leeds fell 26-24.

In that earlier game at Headingley Carnegie, the Rhinos had forged 22-4 ahead with a truly authoritative display against the champions.

But the dynamic Tomkins inspired a brilliant comeback late on, which was still only capped with a match-levelling penalty after the hooter had sounded.

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McDermott continued: “We think it’s going to be close – and we think we’re going to win.

“We’re not going there to make up the numbers. Wigan are in great form and have been for a number of weeks while they showed last year they can win the Super League.

“But it only matters what people on the inside think and we think we can do this.”

As an uncompromising prop who pushed Henry Paul close for the Lance Todd Trophy when he starred in Bradford Bulls’ 2000 Murrayfield cup final win over Leeds, McDermott has plenty of experience in the competition.

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He featured at the old Wembley – “they still used to pee on the walls outside the last time I played there”– when Bradford endured defeat against St Helens in both 1996 and the following season and is a firm believer in the worthiness of the prestigious competition.

“The Challenge Cup is a special part of our game and it is something that we should treasure,” said McDermott, who played alongside Wigan’s Paul Deacon in his latter Bulls days.

“It has a history and tradition that other sports around the world would kill for. I’m sure this will live up to that.”

While some coaches choose to adopt alternative preparations to gain an edge in Wembley week, the former Royal Marine has refused to change too much in the build-up to tomorrow’s showpiece occasion, insisting that would hamper Leeds’ chances of lifting the trophy for the first time since 1999.

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“We’ll do certain things and make sure we don’t over-react,” he said.

“We’re not going to try and re-invent the wheel over the course of the week.

“The motivation and the atmosphere around training takes care of itself.

“It’s different as well in the sense we’ve got two more Super League games and then the play-offs when we get back; we can’t just try and reinvent ourselves then do it the week after, too, to try and get back to the league.

“We’ve got to try and keep some consistency.”

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If Leeds can overcome Wigan to end their 12-year pursuit for the game’s most famous trophy, it would be a notable feat in McDermott’s first season in charge.

The 41-year-old has encountered some difficulties following his return north from a four-year spell as head coach of Harlequins.

While the Rhinos have shown glimpses of a greater defensive fortitude under his command, and more guile in attack, they have struggled to consistently deliver, leaving them sixth in the table. The feeling is, however, if they can repeat the standard of those previous two performances against Wigan, their rewards will finally arrive on the biggest stage.

Everyone is predicting Tomkins to star again but McDermott warned: “The danger is you do too much on him and you’ve got some players like Tommy Leuluai, Sean O’Loughlin and George Carmont – all bang in form – who can do a job, too.

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“We’ve got to make sure we’re as good against Sam Tomkins as we are against every other member of their team.

“We are all aware that we have not achieved anything yet and that getting to Wembley is not our goal.

“We need to perform on the day and do our best to win the Cup.”

McGuire sure Leeds will bounce back

Danny McGuire maintains Leeds Rhinos’ horrendous defeat at Harlequins will not harm their chances as they make a swift return to the capital.

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The Carnegie Challenge Cup finalists suffered a miserable 32-22 loss against the Super League strugglers on Saturday, their last outing ahead of tomorrow’s crucial Wembley date.

Leeds set off for their London hotel yesterday evening with England half-back McGuire insisting that unexpected five-try setback has not left any lasting effects.

“We’ve tried to push that to one side, to be honest, because for the previous six weeks we had started to find some form in defence,” he said.

“With the ball in hand we were getting a little bit better as well.

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“We didn’t turn up on the day against ‘Quins but we’re now focused on Wigan and we’ve got a few players coming back who will strengthen the team.

“We’ve come into training this week bouncing and are looking forward to it.

“Wigan are playing really well so it’s another big challenge for us.”

As expected, Leeds are boosted by the return of forwards Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Ryan Bailey and Jamie Peacock, the England captain who missed their 30-6 hammering by Warrington a year ago with a season-ending knee injury.

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Head coach Brian McDermott has named injury doubts Carl Ablett (ankle) and Kallum Watkins (knee) in his 19-man squad.

Lee Smith, out of favour in recent weeks, is also included in case either centre fails their fitness tests with Zak Hardaker, Jay Pitts and Paul McShane not included.

Wigan Warriors head coach Michael Maguire has recalled rested trio Lee Mossop, Andy Coley and Brett Finch with Eamon O’Carroll and Stefan Marsh missing out.

Their absentees are injured trio Ben Cross – the former Leeds prop – Chris Tuson and Stuart Fielden.