Leeds Rhinos Nostalgia: Liam Sutcliffe’s the hero on milestone day for Jamie Peacock in 2014

Peacock was acting-captain – in place of the injured Kevin Sinfield – when Rhinos faced Catalans Dragons at Headingley, on June 29, 2014.

Catalans were within three minutes of recording their first away win against Rhinos, but a moment of madness – and nerves of steel from one Leeds youngster – denied them.

The hosts needed something remarkable when Morgan Escare’s drop goal in the 77th minute edged Catalans 31-30 ahead – and they got it in bizarre circumstances as the visitors twice shot themselves in the foot.

Rhinos tried a short restart after the one-pointer and it seemed the plan had backfired when the kick failed to travel 10 metres, but – rather than leave it and win his side a penalty and almost certainly the game – Jason Baitieri touched the ball.

So the penalty went to Rhinos to give them what seemed to be a last attacking chance.

The French side – who had lost only one of their previous 10 games – held out, regained possession and needed only to complete the set to claim the points.

But as they tried to clear their lines Catalans were penalised for obstruction when Ben Pomeroy ran behind Zeb Taia and – with time up – Rhinos had a kick to win it.

What Leeds didn’t have was marksman Sinfield, or his back-up kicker Zak Hardaker.

So Sutcliffe stepped up and took the two, as the hooter sounded, to seal an amazing 32-31 win for the home team.

Sutcliffe, then aged 19, came through Rhinos’ academy ranks and made his debut the previous year, but the four goals he kicked against Catalans were his first for the club.

At the other end of the scale, Peacock had already played 188 times in Super League before joining Rhinos from Bradford Bulls in 2006.

It looked bleak for Leeds in the second half of a see-saw encounter, when Catalans led 24-14.

Leeds hit back to go ahead, but a try by Daryl Millard levelled the scores at 30-30 before Escare’s one-pointer.

Catalans opened the scoring through an Escare try, converted by Sam Williams.

Ryan Hall and Ben Jones-Bishop went over for Rhinos either side of a Williams penalty goal, but tries by Taia and Eloi Pelissier and two more Williams kicks gave the visitors a 20-8 lead.

Josh Walters pulled a try back, improved by Sutcliffe, cut the gap to 20-14 at half-time, but Taia scored soon afterwards.

Leeds rallied with two tries in nine minutes, from Joel Moon and Carl Ablett and then Moon crossed again to give Rhinos the lead, but Millard’s touchdown with 11 minutes left and Williams’ fifth goal set up the dramatic finale.

Afterwards, Rhinos coach Brian McDermott described Sutcliffe’s winning goal as a “big moment in his career”.

He said: “He held his nerve, that wasn’t an easy kick.

“It is something he will look back on and have some memory of, how to handle those moments.”

McDermott admitted he feared there was no way back after the one-pointer.

“I’m comfortable with the win,” he added.

“We scored more tries than them and, while we weren’t great and while I had resigned myself to the loss and we feel fortunate to have won, I’m not ashamed either.”

Catalans boss Laurent Frayssinous reflected on a lack of “smartness and composure” in the frantic last two minutes, but insisted: “It’s hard to criticise any of my players because they had a dig.”

Catalans had been due to wear a polka dot jersey in honour of the Tour de France’s Grand Depart from Leeds the following month, but reverted to a more familiar kit after the cycling race organisers objected.

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