History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

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

Labels: Leeds Rhinos, Les Catalan Dragons, Rob Burrow, Rugby league, Super League

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:35 pm | Permalink | Comments

McDERMOTT CELEBRATES NEW CONTRACT WITH A WIN OVER TABLE-TOPPERS LEEDS RHINOS

Brian McDermott, Harlequins Rugby League head coach, capped off a great week with an outstanding victory 28-24 at the Stoop in the Super League against table-toppers Leeds Rhinos. The former marine signed a new contract in midweek which ties him to the London club until 2011. His injury-hit troops showed their commitment by providing a lung-bursting effort which inflicted a first defeat in ten games for Brian McLennan’s Rhinos – the team who knocked Quins out of the Challenge Cup last month.

In a pulsating match two maiden tries from winger Will Sharp coupled with Leeds’ Kevin Sinfield’s three missed goals helped lift McDermott’s team to seventh in the table. “That was one of my most satisfying wins,” beamed the 38-year-old. “We kept them out well unlike we did in the Challenge Cup. That shows that we are learning and heading in the right direction. I can see the potential down here and that’s why I signed a new contract. I’m pleased that my name will be associated with promoting rugby league in London.”

Twenty-two-year-old Londoner Sharp, threaded in by quick passes from Hill and David Howell, recorded his Super League first try after Rhinos’ Jamie Peacock had opened the scoring on four minutes. And stand-off Hill scored himself in the seventeenth minute, having spotted a gap in the Rhinos’ under-pressure defence.

McLennan’s Rhinos thought they had levelled the game with 15 minutes of the first half remaining, but Rob Burrow’s try was disallowed because of obstruction. To compound matters, Henry Paul knocked over the resulting penalty.

Leeds did score again before the interval when last season’s Super League top scorer Scott Donald went over having caught Burrow’s miss-pass. Sinfield added the extras to make it 14-12 at the break.

Quins’ scrum-half Chad Randell wriggled over eight minutes after the restart but Leeds pulled the score back to 20-16 with 23 minutes remaining when winger Keith Senior charged over in the left corner. Sinfield missed his conversion, with the ball cruelly rebounding off the upright.

Rhinos frustrations began to show and a melee broke out with 14 minutes left on the clock. Senior was deemed to have initiated the 10-man scuffle and was sin-binned, as was Quins’ Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook. Paul punished Leeds by lacing over the resulting penalty in a perfect kicking game.

Sharp then scored his second try, dropping on Hill’s inch-perfect grubber kick. New Zealander Paul then added his sixth goal, but Rhinos hit back immediately though Burrow.

From a similar angle to his earlier miss Sinfield, loudly heckled by Quins fans, saw his effort bounce out from the other post. When Donald went over for his second try with four minutes left, loose forward Sinfield, clearly shaken by the pressure, fluffed his third kick and McDermott’s team held on for a fantastic win.

“The lads are disappointed but the best team won,” conceded McLennan. “They constantly but more pressure on us than we did them.

“I don’t think we have been going too well for the last two or three weeks. They ran harder and did all the basics better than we did. They are a physical team and they dominated us, but a bit of adversity will do us good.”


Harlequins
Tries: Sharp 2, Hill, Randall
Goals: Paul 6 (6)

Rhinos
Tries: Peacock, Donald, Senior, Burrow
Goals: Sinfield 2 (5)

Labels: Brian McDermott, Harlequins Rugby League, Leeds Rhinos, Super League

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 7:49 pm | Permalink | Comments

RHINOS ADVANCE TO THE SIXTH ROUND AT THE EXPENCE OF QUINS IN SCORCHING ENCOUNTER

Leeds Rhinos edged out Harlequins 36-26 in a scintillating fifth round encounter at The Stoop on Sunday. Down 24-4 with just over a half hour remaining, momentum then swung Harlequins’ way as they stormed to 26-24, only for Jason Peacock to ruin the party with a try three minutes from the final hooter.

“That was one hell of a cup tie,” Leeds coach Brian McLennan said. “It was hot and in the second half we had a lack of possession but we hung in there.”

But only just. The Rhinos tumbled out of last year’s competition at the this stage at the hands of Wigan Warriors and it looked as though the London club would trump them too after a scorching second half display.

Two tries each for Henry Paul, who also kicked three goals, and Danny Orr, along with Tony Clubb’s score, were not quite enough for the home side who looked dead and buried at the break.

On the back of two defeats, Quins were sluggish in the baking heat to begin with, and a mistake from winger Will Sharp on his starting debut, allowed Leeds’ Ben Jones-Bishop to open the scoring on 12 minutes.

Clubb muscled a try back for Quins before Danny McGuire scored his first of three in the afternoon for Leeds. A converted try by Scott Donald took Leeds to 18-4 at the interval. McGuire dropped on Matt Diskin’s kick three minutes after the break before the London club’s fight back.

Orr, captain in the absence of injured Rob Purdham, side-stepped over five minutes later. Paul then scored twice in four minutes before scrum half Orr wriggled over again to take his team in front for the first time, only for Peacock to break the hearts of the Harlequins fans. McGuire scored at the death before Kevin Sinfield laced his sixth goal in a perfect kicking game.

“The lads are pissed off,” offered Harlequins coach Brian McDermott. “We have been outstanding for three weeks and we are frustrated not to be winning. I don’t think Leeds stepped off the gas at all but we stepped up.”

Harlequins: Wells, Sharp, Gafa, Howell, Sheriffe, Paul, Orr; Temata, Randell, Ward, Clubb, Worrincy, Mbu

Interchange: Rinaldi, Melling, Haggerty, Grayshon

Tries: Clubb, Orr 2, Paul 2
Goals: Paul 3 (5)

Leeds Rhinos:

Jones-Bishop, Hall, Watkins, Senior, Donald, McGuire, Burrow; Leuluai, Tansey, Scrutton, Abet, Peacock, Sinfield

Interchange: Diskin, Ellis, Worrall, Allan

Tries: Jones-Bishop, McGuire 3, Donald, Peacock
Goals: Sinfield 6 (6)

Referee: Ian Smith

Labels: Brian McDermott, Harlequins Rugby League, Leeds Rhinos, Rob Purdham

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 7:09 pm | Permalink | Comments

CHALLENGE CUP FIFTH ROUND DRAW

Harlequins will host last year's Super League Grand Final winners in the Fifth Round of the Challenge Cup - though the London club's coach, Brian McDermott, believes that his team will thrive on being the underdogs.
He said: "The Rhinos are superb but we will be pressure-free against Leeds. They will be expected to win so the pressure will be on them.

"Their coach Brian McClennan has come out and said that he wants Leeds to win the Cup. "I think he has every right to think that too, with the team he has got and the way they are playing. I don't think that is any arrogance on their part. "We will do the best we can." The fifth round ties will be played on May 9, 10 and 11.

The draw in full is:
Hull KR v Huddersfield
Barrow v Wakefield
Dewsbury v Oldham
Bradford v Catalans
Wigan v Whitehaven
Widnes v Hull FC
Harlequins RL V Leeds
St Helens v Warrington

Labels: Challenge Cup, Harlequins Rugby League, Leeds Rhinos

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 2:46 pm | Permalink | Comments

QUINS ON THE UP - PURDHAM

Harlequins captain Rob Purdham burst through the pain barrier on Saturday
at The Stoop to inspire his team to their fourth successive Super League
victory, the 24-0 win over last season’s play-off team Huddersfield Giants.
Now he is ready to take his team to reigning world champions Leeds Rhinos
for Friday’s top-of-the-table encounter.

Since losing to Wigan in their opening game, Harlequins have not lost,
producing easily the best start to a Super League campaign by any London
club in history.

And Purdham, who had to have a painkilling injection at half time to soothe
a shoulder injury, insists there is more to come. The loose forward said:
“We was probably our best performance of the season so far against the
Giants. To beat a team as good as Huddersfield I think it is the best
result we have had in a long time.”

Quins are currently equal-top on eight points with defending champions
Leeds, and Purdham will relish the test.

He added: “I hope I’ll be fit for Friday for the Leeds game. It is a
top-of-the-table clash and we are there on merit. They are a world class
side and we are getting there, playing well. We are confident we can do a
job on Leeds.”

Labels: Harlequins Rugby League, Leeds Rhinos, Rob Purdham, Super League

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 12:05 am | Permalink | Comments

MCMANUS: SAINTS ARE THE BEST EVER

Saint Helens chairman Eamonn McManus has said that whatever the outcome in Saturday's Grand Final against Leeds Rhinos, his team will go down as the greatest in rugby league history.

Saints are still on for a back-to-back triple, having already won the Challenge Cup in a 30-8 victory against Les Catalan Dragons at Wembley in late August.

For Tony Smith, who has taken the Rhinos to three of the last four Grand Finals, this showdown will be his last hurrah before he becomes full-time Great Britain coach.

Ironically the Saints' coach Daniel Anderson and Smith were both assistant coaches together at Parramatta Eels in 2000.

Anderson said: "Tony is a very good friend of mine and it's enjoyable for our old friends at Parramatta that we have come head-to-head with each other."

Director of rugby at Leeds, Gary Hetherington, heaped praise on the departing coach. "To win in this final would be no more than Tony deserves," he said.

"He has had a really good four years with us - we have never been out of the top three - and Tony leaves us in very good shape.

"With all the work and dedication he has put into the club, to win the Grand Final would be the icing on the cake. I know all the squad want to win it for him as well."

The Rhinos and Saints have beaten each other this season, and judging by the last game they played - a 10-8 thriller edged by St Helens in the play-offs - it will be a tight one to call.

"It is really nip-and-tuck - there really isn't much between us," considered Anderson. "People can analyse it as much as they want, but in the end there is very little to separate us."

His chairman, McManus, believes that the battle will be won up front. "I think pairs of half-backs - Sean Long and Leon Price at St Helens and Rob Burrow and Danny McGuire at Leeds - and the face-off they will provide is intriguing, and will be highly influential on the outcome of the game."

Either way, McManus argued his men will still be regarded the better team: "We will go down as one of the greatest teams in the history of the game, certainly the best of this generation.

"Regardless of what happens on Saturday I think facts speak for themselves.

"We got the treble last year and so far this year we have beaten Brisbane Broncos. By beating them we beat probably the strongest team, in the strongest sport, in the strongest sporting nation in the world. It's as simple as that.

"We have followed it up with winning the Super League and the Challenge Cup.

"What people forget is that we have been at a huge disadvantage to other teams in that last season went on much longer for us than anyone else, because we got to the Grand Final.

"Then 12 of our team were away for six weeks in Australia for the Tri-Nations. We didn't actually have a close season in which to prepare for this year. So to back it up with the results of this year based on a long season previously and no close season is remarkable."

McManus' opposite man, Leeds Rhinos chairman Gary Hetherington, agreed that such a lofty statement was not far from the mark.

"The Saints have had a remarkable run, particularly in the last two years," Hetherington conceded.

"To get so far in so many competitions as they have has been a remarkable effort. Given rugby league's competitive nature and the salary caps, it is enviable if any team wins a competition.

"But to win as many trophies as they have is a remarkable achievement. We are full of respect for the achievements of the St Helens team."

Labels: Eamonn McManus, Gary Hetherington, Grand Final, Leeds Rhinos, Rugby league, St Helens

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 5:16 pm | Permalink | Comments

BARRETT COULD TIP THE BALANCE AGAINST LEEDS

Leeds Rhinos' chief executive Gary Hetherington fears Wigan Warriors' winger Trent Barrett could be too hot to handle in tonight's (Friday) Final Eliminator at
The KC Stadium.

Australian international Barrett was recently named Writers' Association Player of the Year and is the bookies' favourite to collect the Man of Steel award.

"He will certainly be in the running for the award," declared Hetherington. "He is an inspirational player who has had a very strong season. I know Wigan will be pinning a lot of hopes on him."

The Rhinos go into the game having lost 10-8 to St Helens last week, and name an unchanged team.

Despite Barrett's threat and the fact that they have lost to Wigan three times already this season, Hetherington insists that his Leeds team are in confident mood.

"Things are looking pretty positive and we are in good shape. We have a lot of respect for the opposition but hopefully we'll get the big result required."

Every game in the play-offs has been close, with only six points or less between sides. Hetherington thinks that the trend will continue.

"They have literally been decided in the last few minutes. On paper you would expect our game to be pretty similar. It will be a close fought match and a battle to the finish."

Labels: Gary Hetherington, Grand Final, Leeds Rhinos, Rugby league, St Helens, Trent Barrett

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:23 pm | Permalink | Comments