BURROW SPARK GIVES LEEDS EXTRA FIREPOWER
Rob Burrow inspired Leeds Rhinos to a 37-24 win over the Catalans Dragons, ending their record winning streak in Perpignan on a sticky evening. It was the hottest ticket in Super League - the attendance is the best the French side have had at this stadium - and the travelling Rhinos fans had the sunburn to prove it. Down 24-16 with only 20 minutes remaining, Leeds made the most of the cooler conditions and scored four unanswered tries to coast to victory.
Scrum-half Burrow helped Leeds open the scoring when his sumptuous chip found Lee Smith, who touched down under the posts. Three minutes later the Catalans hit back through winger Cyril Stacul in the right corner. Stand-off Thomas Bosc converted.
The 24-year-old had a boot in his team's second try, too, as his up-and-under was horribly spilled five metres from his own line by Leeds winger Ryan Hall, whose bittersweet game was just beginning. Charging prop Olivier Elima scooped up the ball and touched down for the fourth time this season. The Catalans went further ahead with 15 minutes of the half remaining, as centre Sebastian Raguin wriggled free from three would-be tacklers to score. Bosc repeated his kicking heroics, this time from the left, to take his team to 18-6.
Hall made amends for his earlier howler when Danny McGuire's cross-field kick caught out Raguin and dropped favourably for the 20-year-old. Captain Kevin Sinfield was unable to convert from the right and the Catalans took an eight-point advantage into the break.
Leeds began the second half as they had the first - with the excellent Burrow laying on a converted score under the sticks after four minutes. The England star shrugged off a challenge before playing in McGuire for a simple try. Hall then upped the pressure on his own team again, needlessly knocking on 30 metres from his line. The Catalans used the extra set to good effect, as Elima bounced three tackles to crash over for his second try of the game.
But Burrow was not in any mood to let the French run away with it. After another jinking run, a pass inside again found McGuire, who dived over. Although Sinfield screwed his goal kick wide for a second miss, he made up for it after 58 minutes with a scissors move that bisected the Catalans defence and allowed Ali Lauitiiti to breeze in for a converted score to take them to 26-24.
Two scores in the last six minutes - a 90-metre dash from Super League's leading scorer Scott Donald, who took his tally to 24, and a converted score in the right corner by Hall - and a Sinfield drop goal put an end to the contest. The result places reigning champions Leeds on equal points with St Helens, who they play in the Challenge Cup semi-final on Saturday.
Stade Gilbert Brutus 9,880
CATALANS DRAGONS: Greenshields; Stacul, Wilson, Raguin, Pelo; Bosc, McGuire (capt); Chan, Gorrell, Elima, Croker, Mounis, Carlaw
Subs used Guisset, Casty, Quintilla, Touxagas
Tries: Stacul, Elima 2, Raguin
Goals: Bosc 4
LEEDS: Smith; Hall, Toopi, Senior, Donald; McGuire, Burrow; Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Ellis, Jones-Buchanan, Sinfield (capt)
Subs used: Lauitiiti, Scruton, Kirke, Ablett
Tries: Lauitiiti, Donald, McGuire 2, Hall 2, Smith
Goals: Sinfield 4
Drop: Sinfield
Referee: I Smith
Rob Burrow inspired Leeds Rhinos to a 37-24 win over the Catalans Dragons, ending their record winning streak in Perpignan on a sticky evening. It was the hottest ticket in Super League - the attendance is the best the French side have had at this stadium - and the travelling Rhinos fans had the sunburn to prove it. Down 24-16 with only 20 minutes remaining, Leeds made the most of the cooler conditions and scored four unanswered tries to coast to victory.
Scrum-half Burrow helped Leeds open the scoring when his sumptuous chip found Lee Smith, who touched down under the posts. Three minutes later the Catalans hit back through winger Cyril Stacul in the right corner. Stand-off Thomas Bosc converted.
The 24-year-old had a boot in his team's second try, too, as his up-and-under was horribly spilled five metres from his own line by Leeds winger Ryan Hall, whose bittersweet game was just beginning. Charging prop Olivier Elima scooped up the ball and touched down for the fourth time this season. The Catalans went further ahead with 15 minutes of the half remaining, as centre Sebastian Raguin wriggled free from three would-be tacklers to score. Bosc repeated his kicking heroics, this time from the left, to take his team to 18-6.
Hall made amends for his earlier howler when Danny McGuire's cross-field kick caught out Raguin and dropped favourably for the 20-year-old. Captain Kevin Sinfield was unable to convert from the right and the Catalans took an eight-point advantage into the break.
Leeds began the second half as they had the first - with the excellent Burrow laying on a converted score under the sticks after four minutes. The England star shrugged off a challenge before playing in McGuire for a simple try. Hall then upped the pressure on his own team again, needlessly knocking on 30 metres from his line. The Catalans used the extra set to good effect, as Elima bounced three tackles to crash over for his second try of the game.
But Burrow was not in any mood to let the French run away with it. After another jinking run, a pass inside again found McGuire, who dived over. Although Sinfield screwed his goal kick wide for a second miss, he made up for it after 58 minutes with a scissors move that bisected the Catalans defence and allowed Ali Lauitiiti to breeze in for a converted score to take them to 26-24.
Two scores in the last six minutes - a 90-metre dash from Super League's leading scorer Scott Donald, who took his tally to 24, and a converted score in the right corner by Hall - and a Sinfield drop goal put an end to the contest. The result places reigning champions Leeds on equal points with St Helens, who they play in the Challenge Cup semi-final on Saturday.
Stade Gilbert Brutus 9,880
CATALANS DRAGONS: Greenshields; Stacul, Wilson, Raguin, Pelo; Bosc, McGuire (capt); Chan, Gorrell, Elima, Croker, Mounis, Carlaw
Subs used Guisset, Casty, Quintilla, Touxagas
Tries: Stacul, Elima 2, Raguin
Goals: Bosc 4
LEEDS: Smith; Hall, Toopi, Senior, Donald; McGuire, Burrow; Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Ellis, Jones-Buchanan, Sinfield (capt)
Subs used: Lauitiiti, Scruton, Kirke, Ablett
Tries: Lauitiiti, Donald, McGuire 2, Hall 2, Smith
Goals: Sinfield 4
Drop: Sinfield
Referee: I Smith
Labels: Leeds Rhinos, Les Catalan Dragons, Rob Burrow, Rugby league, Super League
