An astonishing 24-16 conquering of odds-on favourites St Helens saw Leeds retain the championship trophy for the first time, become only the second side to win back-to-back Grand Finals and the first reigning World Club champions to triumph at Old Trafford.

Leeds won just three championships between 1895 and 2004, but have now doubled that tally in five seasons.

Last year's 33-6 thrashing of the same opposition was regarded as Leeds' finest-ever performance, but this one was better.

Logically, Rhinos had no right to win – against a team who had embarrassed them by a 28-point margin 15 days earlier, topped the league table and were unbeaten in 23 games.

But an absorbing, high-quality contest went by the script for just 18 minutes, which was how long Saints led.

Saints probably made too good a start. Man of Steel James Graham crossed after just five minutes, from an offload by Lee Gilmour, who had broken clear off Sean Long's pass and then worked a one-two with Paul Wellens.

Soon after, the ball was worked wide to Matt Gidley, but Scott Donald – who made an important contribution defensively and covered in tremendous fashion – and Matt Diskin tackled him into touch.

Had Rhinos gone a couple of scores down, it could have been a different story. But having weathered the early storm, their self-belief blossomed and they were undoubtedly the better side from the 23rd minute, when they levelled the scores.

It was fairytale stuff, particularly for Lee Smith and Ryan Hall. Smith – switched to full-back in place of the injured Brent Webb – romped away with the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match.

His return of a Francis Meli kick early on lifted Leeds' spirits, before he got on the end of Jamie Jones-Buchanan's wonderful offload to nip over for Rhinos' opening try.

Cool and safe under Saints' high bombs, Smith cleared his lines effectively, tackled magnificently and landed a 40-20 kick which led to Danny McGuire's crucial first try in the second half.

Three minutes from half-time, Smith won a penalty and in the resulting set Hall wrote himself into Rhinos folklore.

It was the 20-year-old winger's first senior game since breaking a foot in the Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final defeat by Saints in July.

Sinfield's long pass was instinctively flicked on by Keith Senior to Hall, who kicked ahead, got round Willie Talau and won the race to touch down, video referee Ben Thaler giving the green light.

Kevin Sinfield converted off the touchline via a post, having goaled the previous try from wide out on the other side.