Warrington 24 Leeds 26: Rhinos reach Grand Final

With the scores locked at 24-24 and the tie heading for extra time, referee Steve Ganson awarded the visitors a penalty for offside and Sinfield kept his cool from 35 metres to dash Warrington’s hopes of a maiden Old Trafford appearance.

It was the decisive act of a pulsating finale which reduced Warrington’s players to tears and enabled the Rhinos to become the first team from outside the top three to reach the Grand Final.

Warrington winger Matt King thought he had won the game for his side nine minutes from the end but his try was disallowed by video referee Ian Smith, who four minutes later also ruled out what would have been a hat-trick by Leeds winger Ryan Hall.

The outcome was tough on the Wolves, who have been the outstanding team in Super League in 2011, but full reward for the in-form Yorkshiremen, who maintained Sinfield’s pledge to take on the free-scoring Wolves at their own game.

Warrington had scored 82 points in the two meetings between the sides during the regular season but there was never much to choose between them tonight.

The home side were boosted by the return of England forward Ben Westwood while Leeds had centre Carl Ablett back after a two-match absence and he took just four minutes to make his mark, racing onto Danny McGuire’s grubber kick to score the game’s first try.

Sinfield’s goal gave the Rhinos a 6-0 lead and it took Warrington some time to get over the shock.

They drew level courtesy of a well-rehearsed move, King palming Lee Briers’ high kick back for Chris Bridge to get Australian winger Joel Monaghan over for his 30th try of his first season in England.

That score gave the Wolves the momentum and it took some splendid rearguard defence from Leeds to prevent them finishing off breaks by Chris Riley and Briers while Westwood was recalled for a forward pass by David Solomona.

Warrington lost full-back Brett Hodgson with ankle-ligament damage on 32 minutes but they quickly shrugged off the blow to take the lead.

Michael Monaghan’s trademark darting run from dummy half had the Leeds defence back-pedalling and Riley, switched from the wing to full-back, slipped the attempted tackle of Ablett to score his side’s second try.

Chris Bridge’s second conversion made it 12-6 which accurately summed up the first-half play.

Leeds briefly threatened through talented teenager Zak Hardaker, whose clever touchline run brought a stunning tackle from King in the last minute of the first half, but they were back on level terms within a minute of the re-start.

Hall picked off a pass from Warrington second rower Simon Grix and sprinted 55 metres for a soft try, easily fending off the attempted challenge of Briers on the way.

The Wolves edged back in front on 48 minutes after running a penalty from in front of the Leeds posts, with King taking Richie Myler’s long pass and crashing over despite the efforts of three defenders.

Bridge’s third goal restored his side’s six-point advantage but the game turned during a devastating three-minute spell midway through the second half with two superb long-range tries from the visitors.

The diminutive Rob Burrow made the break for the first, McGuire carried on the move and, when he was eventually collared by Ryan Atkins, he was able to offload to the supporting Hall for his second try.

The Wolves were still reeling when Leeds full-back Brent Webb danced through their first line of defence to send Burrow haring away and Sinfield’s fourth goal made it 24-18.

It was a winning position but Leeds suddenly began to show signs of nerves, with Danny Buderus and Weller Hauraki both coming up with knock-ons deep inside their own half to put their side under pressure.

And they were made to pay on 68 minutes when Briers’ inside pass got Riley over for his second try, with Bridge kicking his fourth goal to lock up the scores for a fourth time.

King then went for the corner only for slow-motion replays to show he had been held inches short of the line in Ben Jones-Bishop’s tackle and as the tension mounted, Leeds were awarded a penalty on halfway for interference by Solomona.

Sinfield’s ambitious kick fell just under the crossbar and then came Hall’s disallowed try for the slightest of knock-ons by Burrow.

The drama continued right to the end, however, when Myler was caught offside after charging down Sinfield’s drop-goal attempt and the Leeds captain maintained his composure to slot the 25-metre penalty between the posts.

Read Dave Craven’s report in Saturday’s Yorkshire Post newspaper.