How Leeds Rhinos' epic comeback against Huddersfield Giants re-wrote the record book

Giants dominated the behind closed doors fixture from the first minute until the 68th when Luke Gale scored what seemed like a consolation try.

In fact, the captain’s touchdown was the start of a record-equalling fightback by Leeds.

Gale’s try came came during Ash Handley’s spell in the sin-bin; Luke Briscoe (70), Alex Mellor (72) and Konrad Hurrell (78) got Rhinos to within two, Rhyse Martin converted the final try to level the scores and Gale landed the decisive drop goal in golden point extra-time.

In 125 years of rugby league, Leeds have only won from 20 points down once before, in the final home game of the 2003 regular season.

Rhinos went 20-0 adrift against St Helens with an hour gone, but climbed off their knees to snatch an astonishing 30-20 victory, all their points coming in the final 17 minutes.

Rob Burrow, now Rhinos’ reserve team coach, began the fightback with a 63rd minute try and Mark Calderwood (65), Gary Connolly (71) Richard Mathers (73) and Willie Poching (79) also went over to leave Saints stunned - all the touchdowns being converted by current Leeds director of rugby Kevin Sinfield.

Before that, Rhinos’ biggest Super League comeback was against Sheffield Eagles at Don Valley Stadium in 1998 and - like against Giants - they had to do it with a man short.

Rhinos forward Adrian Morley was sent-off for a high tackle and Marcus Vassilakopoulos booted the resulting penalty to give Sheffield a 23-4 lead with 53 minutes played.

After that, Leeds suddenly came to life and Paul Sterling, Francis Cummins and Graham Holroyd ran in tries, all converted by captain Iestyn Harris, to leave the visitors only a point adrift with four minutes left.

In the final seconds, Eagles were penalised inside their own half, for a ball steal and then marched 10 metres for dissent to referee Stuart Cummings.

That brought them to within kicking range and Harris displayed nerves of steel to boot the goal which snatched a 24-23 victory, taking Leeds’ 100 per cent record at the start of the league season to seven games.

Afterwards, Harris admitted Leeds had been second-best for “79 minutes”.

He said: “We were dead and buried, but when we lined up for the penalty after Moz was sent-off someone shouted ‘it’s now or never’ - and we got out of jail.”

Leeds have hit back to win from 18 points behind on several occasions.

At the start of the 2001 season they trailed 18-0 to London Broncos at the Valley, in Charlton, after just 20 minutes, but went on to win 50-18, with Keith Senior scoring a hat-trick.

Leeds were heading for a Magic Weekend derby defeat at Murrayfield in 2010, when Wakefield Trinity Wildcats led 28-10 at half-time, but found their feet to win 32-30, thanks to Danny Buderus’ clinching try three minutes from time.

The win two days ago also maintained Leeds’ 100 per cent record in golden point extra time.

Sinfield kicked Rhinos to Wembley in 2011 with a sudden-death penalty against Castleford Tigers.

The same team were the victims in Rhinos’ only previous golden point Super League encounter, last season, when they battled back from 20-4 behind midway through the second half, only for Brad Dwyer to land the winning drop goal.

Super League’s greatest comeback was achieved by Wigan Warriors in September, 2012, when they won 42-36 at Hull KR after trailing 26-0.

That surpassed their own 31-30 play-off win at Bradford when they erased a 30-6 deficit.

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Laura Collins