A-Z of Leeds Rhinos - ‘S’ is for...Sixties and Seventies

Leeds retained the Challenge Cup by beating St Helens at Wembley in 1978. Picture by Steve Riding.

The Loiners finished top of the table six times, won seven Yorkshire Cups, the Challenge Cup three times, the Championship and Premiership twice each, plus the RL Trophy and BBC Floodlit competition.

Great coach Roy Francis, who joined the club in 1963, was the architect of that success which was built around an outstanding crop of local players, including centres Syd Hynes and Les Dyl, wingers Alan Smith and John Atkinson, play-makers John Holmes and Mick Shoebottom, plus Ray Batten in the pack.

S’ is also for...Sevens.

Leeds had five players selected for the 1970 Great Britain Lions tour, for the first time in the club's history. Back-row Alan Smith and Syd Hynes; front John Atkinson, Mick Shoebottom and Barry Seabourne. Picture: YEP.

Headingley hosted an end-of-season seven-a-side tournament from 1965 to 1978.

Leeds won the competition for the only time in 1973, hitting back from 18-5 down at half-time in the final to defeat St Helens 21-18.

They were runners-up to Bradford Northern in 1966, Huddersfield in 1967 and Salford in 1970.

Winners of the Headingley Sevens were: 1964 - Bradford Northern; 1965 - St Helens; 1966 - Bradford; 1967 - Huddersfield; 1968 - Salford; 1969 - Salford; 1970 - Salford; 1971 - Wakefield Trinity; 1972 - Halifax; 1973 - Leeds; 1974 - Salford; 1975 - Wigan; 1976 - Castleford; 1977 - no competition; 1978 - Widnes.

James Donaldson is collared by the Hull defence in a rare Sunday afternoon game at Emerald Headingley this season. Picture by Tony Johnson.

‘S’ is also for...Sunday.

Leeds’ first Sunday game was an 11-11 draw at Hull on March 23, 1969, the season after a ban on playing on the seventh day had been lifted.

Tony Crosby, Mick Clark and Syd Hynes were Leeds’ try scorers and Bev Risman kicked one goal in front of a crowd of 7,300.

Headingley didn’t stage Sunday rugby until March 5, 1972, when 21,127 saw Leeds beat Wakefield Trinity 11-5 in the Challenge Cup third round thanks to a try by Alan Hardisty, three goals from Terry Clawson and a John Holmes drop goal.

Saturday remained Leeds’ main matchday until the 1980-81 campaign.

They switched to Friday evening fixtures in 1997.

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