Friday 3 July 2015 14:51, UK
It’s first against second in Super League. Leeds against St Helens is always one of the game’s classic encounters and this one is likely to be no different.
There’s still a long way to go, but the two sides are separated by just one point for now and a win for either team could be crucial in the battle for top spot. And with Wigan breathing down their necks in third, neither can afford to lose.
Leeds and St Helens have met in four Grand Finals, with the Rhinos boasting a 100 per cent record at Old Trafford against their Lancashire rivals, but their success in the regular rounds isn’t quite as impressive.
They have played out some sensational encounters in the regular league season though, and here we look back at eight games that have caught the eye.
Leeds 13-12 St Helens - April 11, 1997
In the Super League era before Grand Finals existed, Leeds delivered a famous win in front of the Headingley crowd.
They were inspired by their talisman at the time, Iestyn Harris, but it was in fact the Welshman’s debut after signing for a world record fee from Warrington. Harris exchanged early penalties with Bobbie Goulding, before creating the Rhinos’ only try, kicking for Paul Sterling to collect and score. Apollo Perelini’s try levelled the scores, but a Harris drop goal pushed Leeds five in front with seven minutes left.
That left Saints needing a converted try and in the final moments, they looked to have got it after Goulding kicked through before collecting to score near the posts.
The tryscorer himself lined up for the winning conversation and it seemed a formality for such a reliable kicker, but Goulding hit the post with his kick and Leeds held on for victory.
St Helens 30-26 Leeds - April 6, 2002
Saints eventually finished top of the pile in 2002, but this Round 6 win over the Rhinos showed their early title-winning credentials. The Knowsley Road faithful were used to St Helens comebacks, but this recovery was one of their best.
Leeds seemed to have edged a tight encounter, having scored four tries through Mark Calderwood, Barrie McDermott, Keith Senior and Ben Walker. But the Saints stayed with them thanks to four tries of their own, Tommy Martyn crossing twice and Martin Gleeson and Chris Joynt also scoring.
But in the final minute, Ian Millward’s side snatched it. Joynt broke clear before sending Anthony Stewart over to win the game in the most dramatic circumstances.
Leeds 30-20 St Helens – September 12, 2003
It might not look special in the record books, but the Rhinos produced one of Super League’s stunning comebacks in September 2003.
For three-quarters of the game at Headingley, St Helens were by far the better side and tries from Darren Smith, Keiron Cunningham and Anthony Stewart and four goals from Sean Long put them in complete control at 20-0.
But with 20 minutes left, Leeds finally showed up. And what followed was astonishing. First Rob Burrow scampered over under the posts for what looked like a consolation try, but then Rhinos added 24 points in 11 minutes. Mark Calderwood touched down in the corner before Gary Connolly crashed over from dummy half to make it a two-point game.
And Leeds snatched it – Richie Mathers crossing for the game’s crucial effort before Willie Poaching put the icing on top of a very sweet Blue and Amber cake.
Leeds 70-0 St Helens – July 23, 2004
The Rhinos were setting the pace under Tony Smith in the 2004 season, but the performance in that Grand Final-winning year that really caught everyone’s attention was a win over St Helens at Headingley.
Leeds ran in 12 tries, running wild against a shell-shocked Saints. Danny McGuire and Marcus Bai caused most of the damage, scoring a hat-trick apiece. McGuire, in fact, made history, equaling Paul Newlove’s then-record of 28 Super League tries in a season.
There were also tries for Wayne McDonald (2), Matt Diskin, Richie Mathers, Ali Lauitiiti and Keith Senior as Leeds became the first side in the competition to nil the Saints.
St Helens 54-18 Leeds – September 9, 2006
If St Helens took their humbling at Headingley in 2004 badly, they more than made up for it two seasons later. 2006 produced a band of all-conquering Saints and they swept aside Leeds with a devastating display at Knowsley Road.
Jamie Lyon was the orchestrator, grabbing a 26-minute hat-trick while Francis Meli, Sean Long and Ade Gardner all went over to make it 30-0 before half-time.
A wounded Leeds side came out fighting after the break, Scott Donald scoring twice and Clinton Toopi once, but four more Saints tries, including a Paul Wellens double, helped the Saints clinch the League Leaders’ Shield.
And to rub salt into the Rhinos’ wounds, Paul Anderson, the prop forward, slotted the final conversion of the night from the touchline, with a kick any half-back would have been proud of.
Leeds 28-24 St Helens – July 3, 2010
A summer belter at Headingley, and an important win for a stuttering Leeds side that lifted them into the top four. No less than two points were expected from Brian McClennan’s side, especially with the Saints missing six first team players. And then they lost both half backs Kyle Eastmond and Leon Pryce to injury once the game was underway.
Leeds took advantage, opening up a 16-6 lead, Chris Clarkson, Brett Delaney and Danny McGuire all going over. But Mick Potter’s men roared back and scored 18 unanswered points. Jonny Lomax and Chris Flannery crossed just before half-time, and then after the break Leon Pryce dummied his way over. But he was forced off with a back spasm.
That made the difference as Leeds won it late on, Danny McGuire crossing for his second try before Danny Buderus sent Ryan Hall over for the match winning score.
St Helens 14-10 Leeds – March 28, 2014
Keiron Cunningham hailed this as one of St Helens’ “greatest wins” and he’s a man who knows plenty on that particular topic. Eight senior players were missing for the visit of Leeds to Langtree Park, and to make matters worse the Rhinos were unbeaten so far in Super League.
Leeds took the lead, Danny McGuire going over for the 250th try of his career, but Saints soon hit back through Anthony Walker. And they had Paul Wellens to thank for their second, the captain, on this his record-equalling 413th Super League appearance, dancing through to set up Tommy Makinson who acrobatically touched down.
A Kevin Sinfield penalty put Leeds level, but he missed a late chance to win it with a drop goal. And just as it looked like the sides would share the points, Jonny Lomax gathered a Lance Hohaia kick before chipping through for Makinson to win it with his second.
Leeds 12-13 St Helens – August 29, 2014
You'd have to say 2014 seemed the vintage year for Leeds and St Helens classics; indeed the two sides played out a classic as the season drew to a close. The Saints were chasing the League Leaders’ Shield, while the Rhinos were fresh from their Challenge Cup win six days before.
The game’s key moment came in the 22nd minute. Joel Moon’s shoulder charge on Mark Percival earned the centre a straight red card and his side a tough battle from then on. But they took to the challenge, and led 12-2 after a try from Liam Sutcliffe and three goals from Kevin Sinfield.
It remained the same until after the hour mark, when Saints finally made their numerical advantage count as Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook went through for a four-pointer. And shortly after, St Helens were level, thanks to a James Roby try.
Leeds hung on, trying to secure a point, but it wasn’t to be – and with just five minutes left on the clock, Lance Hohaia popped over a one-pointer to seal the win.
