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Leeds Rhinos made to look second best against Wigan Warriors
Match action from Wigan Warriors v Leeds Rhinos. PIC: Steve Riding
Leeds Rhinos got the tough game they wanted ahead of the World Club Challenge and a 20-6 defeat at Wigan Warriors underlined areas that need working on before Friday’s big showdown with Manly Sea Eagles.
It wasn’t a poor performance by Rhinos, but they were second best to a Wigan team who had a point to prove after losing to Huddersfield Giants in their opening game.
Leeds were punished for three defensive lapses down their left-hand side and with the ball the champions didn’t click, managing only one touchdown – a close-range effort from impressive substitute Darrell Griffin 14 minutes into the second half.
Griffin and Zak Hardaker were both held up over the line in the final moments so Rhinos did have their chances. They made a series of breaks and half-breaks, with Jamie Jones-Buchanan splitting Wigan on a couple of occasions and Rob Burrow proving elusive, though there was no end result.
Generally though there was too much lateral movement, Rhinos didn’t apply any concerted pressure and they made too many mistakes. With Sam Tomkins and Sean O’Loughlin controlling things, Wigan’s kicking game and final tackle options were better and they defended strongly, even late on when the game was in the bag.
Rhinos did well to come back into the game in the second half after being under the cosh for most of the opening period, when they received one penalty to Wigan’s six.
That was awarded by video referee Richard Silverwood, rather than Alibert, who was in charge of Leeds’ third successive visit to the DW. Josh Charnley got over at the corner in the fourth minute, but the touchdown was chalked off – harshly – for an obstruction in back-play.
It was an ominous warning for Rhinos, which went unheeded as Sam Tomkins and Charnley sliced them open on two further occasions before the break and the latter completed his hat-trick to seal Wigan’s win in the final quarter.
Wigan went ahead on 17 minutes with a fine try from long-range, Jack Hughes – their young centre on full debut – beginning the move and Thomas Leuluai, Tomkins and Darrell Goulding all handling before Charnley went over.
Eleven minutes later Rhinos again failed to get to grips with Tomkins and he provided the final pass for the right-winger. That came in the set from a penalty after a punch-up between Weller Hauraki and Wigan’s Leeds-born hooker Michael McIlorum.
The penalty count rose to 8-1 early in the second half, when Pat Richards added a goal to his two earlier conversions after a high shot on Chris Tuson, in Griffin and Jamie Peacock’s tackle.
Alibert didn’t award Leeds a penalty until the 54th minute, but amazingly the final count almost levelled up, finishing 9-7 in the hosts’ favour – though three of Rhinos’ were awarded in the last couple of minutes. One penalty for Leeds denied them a try, Burrow being pulled back after finding a gap from acting-half.
The 54th minute award – for interference in midfield – led to the visitors’ lone touchdown, Griffin powering over from acting-half Burrow’s pass after Brent Webb had been halted just short from a one-two with Kevin Sinfield, who converted the score.
Rhinos could have been right back in the game in the next set when Griffin made a half-break and got an offload away to Webb, who agonisingly couldn’t hold on.
Webb had a good game and Jamie Peacock battled hard, as ever, but Leeds’ best was Jones-Buchanan, running his blood to water, despite being a doubt before the game due to a knee injury.
Rhinos were without Kallum Watkins – whose hat-trick inspired the round one win over Hull KR – due to a wrist injury suffered in training. Carl Ablett dropped back from the pack to centre, Weller Hauraki started and Chris Clarkson came in on the bench.
When Lee Smith suffered a rib injury in the first half, Hauraki – rather than former centre Brett Delaney – moved into the three-quarters. Paul McShane was an unused sub’, after only having limited game time the previous week, so Burrow played the full 80 at hooker.
Leeds’ only spell of dominance in the game came after Griffin’s try, but Wigan ended their hopes of a comeback when Charnley finished off a clever move in the set from a goal line drop out.
Alibert didn’t have the best of games. He missed a succession of forward passes, but blew for one that wasn’t, Ryan Hall’s offload to Burrow, which clearly went backwards. There was also a bizarre incident when Tomkins kicked the ball at Sinfield and it cannoned off the Leeds skipper’s leg into touch.
Initially the referee called a Wigan scrum, then changed his mind and penalised the hosts for arguing. The subsequent Leeds attack ended when Sinfield’s pass to Kylie Leuluai was ruled forward.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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