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Rhinos suffer late anguish
LEEDS RHINOS got what they deserved from their trip to the south of France.
It's a long way to go for a 32-30 defeat, but at least the Leeds fans who made the journey to Perpignan got their money's worth.
They saw three games in one as Rhinos lost it, won it – and then lost it again.
Les Catalans Dragons winger Cyril Stacul's try 30 seconds from time ended Rhinos' three-match winning run and cost them a chance of going second in engage Super League.
Joy turned to despair for Rhinos, who had scored themselves moments earlier to apparently cap a sensational fightback.
Leading 12-10 after an even first half, Leeds were out-played in the second as Dragons built a seemingly impregnable 28-12 advantage.
But with 10 minutes left, Rhinos began to play.
First, Danny McGuire and Ali Lauitiiti worked the ball to Ryan Hall and he chipped ahead, regathered and went over for a fine try.
Then with five to go Kevin Sinfield sent Matt Diskin clear. He was smothered by the defence, but kept the ball alive, Brent Webb supplied Lauitiiti and he showed tremendous strength to power over.
In the set from the re-start, Danny Buderus – a big influence off the bench – burst clear and he put the supporting Webb in.
Sinfield converted all three and suddenly, with less than two minutes to play, Leeds led 30-28.
Rhinos knew a short kick-off was coming, Lee Smith collected it, was tackled in the air and the ball went loose.
Referee Steve Ganson could have awarded a penalty to Leeds, but instead put a scrum down and with time almost up, Greg Bird, Thomas Bosc, Adam Mogg and Jason Croker linked across the line and Stacul squeezed in at the corner.
Both sides scored five tries, but the ultimate difference was a controversial penalty kicked – eventually – by Bosc at the end of the first half.
With the clock running out, Ganson – to nobody's great surprise – penalised Buderus for holding down.
The hooter sounded, but twice Dragons tried to take a tap, only to be pulled back by the referee, Bosc eventually getting the hint and taking the two.
Supposedly, Ganson had been checking with video referee Stuart Cummings if the penalty had been awarded before or after the hooter and hadn't given Dragons permission to tap the ball.
Surely if a team indicate they are going to tap, they shouldn't then be allowed to change their mind and kick for goal?
Whatever, it's the sort of controversy that's expected when Ganson's in charge.
Leeds lost the penalty count 12-6, receiving only one after half-time.
But Rhinos mainly had themselves to blame and Dragons, for most of the game, were the better team.
They had three outstanding individuals in Bosc, Mogg and Bird, but Leeds were below-par individually and as a unit.
They gave Ganson too many opportunities to penalise them, the kicking game didn't get going and there were some costly handling errors.
Leeds' fighting spirit isn't in question, but organisation was lacking at times.
Substitute forward Ryan Bailey found himself having to kick at the end of one set in the first half.
Rhinos – already without the injured Jamie Jones-Buchanan – weren't helped by the loss of second-row Ian Kirke, who suffered a fractured leg after just three minutes.
That meant they were down to 16 fit players for most of the game.
Ashley Gibson returned on the bench and when he came on in the left-centre, Keith Senior switched into the second-row.
Danny McGuire was one of Leeds' successes, scoring two fine tries in the first half.
A classic left-foot step fooled the defence before he danced over for the first and the second came off a nice one-two with Senior.
McGuire also combined with Hall to run down Stacul and force him into touch early in the second half.
Webb made a stunning ball-and-all tackle to wrap-up Bosc just before the break.
Steven Bell gave Dragons a 17th-minute lead when he beat Scott Donald to Mogg's cross kick.
Bosc converted and added two penalties before half-time, against McGuire's two tries, both improved by Sinfield.
Bird sent Jean Philippe Baile through at the start of the second half following a fumble by Luke Burgess.
Then Olivier Elima touched down twice, after an error by Sinfield and a penalty conceded in possession by Webb, plunging over from acting-half and then latching on to a kick by Bosc, who converted all Catalans' tries other than the last one.
LES CATALANS DRAGONS: Bosc, Stacul, Croker, Baile, Bell, Bird, Mogg, Carlaw, C McGuire, Guisset, Elima, Gossard, Mounis. Subs (all used) Perry, Ferriol, Touxagas, Casty.
LEEDS RHINOS: Webb, Donald, Smith, Senior, Hall, Sinfield, D McGuire, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Kirke, Lauitiiti, Ablett. Subs (all used) Buderus, Bailey, Burgess, Gibson.
REFEREE: Steve Ganson (St Helens).
ATTENDANCE: 7,913. Substitute forward Ryan Bailey found himself having to kick at the end of one set in the first half.
Rhinos – already without the injured Jamie Jones-Buchanan – weren’t helped by the loss of second-row Ian Kirke, who suffered a fractured leg after just three minutes.
That meant they were down to 16 fit players for most of the game.
Ashley Gibson returned on the bench and when he came on in the left-centre, Keith Senior switched into the second-row.
Danny McGuire was one of Leeds’ successes, scoring two fine tries in the first half.
A classic left-foot step fooled the defence before he danced over for the first and the second came off a nice one-two with Senior.
McGuire also combined with Hall to run down Stacul and force him into touch early in the second half.
Webb made a stunning ball-and-all tackle to wrap-up Bosc just before the break.
Steven Bell gave Dragons a 17th-minute lead when he beat Scott Donald to Mogg’s cross kick.
Bosc converted and added two penalties before half-time, against McGuire’s two tries, both improved by Sinfield.
Bird sent Jean Philippe Baile through at the start of the second half following a fumble by Luke Burgess.
Then Olivier Elima touched down twice, after an error by Sinfield and a penalty conceded in possession by Webb, plunging over from acting-half and then latching on to a kick by Bosc, who converted all Catalans’ tries other than the last one.
Les Catalans Dragons: Bosc, Stacul, Croker, Baile, Bell, Bird, Mogg, Carlaw, C McGuire, Guisset, Elima, Gossard, Mounis. Subs (all used) Perry, Ferriol, Touxagas, Casty.
Leeds Rhinos: Webb, Donald, Smith, Senior, Hall, Sinfield, D McGuire, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Kirke, Lauitiiti, Ablett. Subs (all used) Buderus, Bailey, Burgess, Gibson.
Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens).
Attendance: 7,913.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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