Leeds Rhinos can upset the odds at St Helens insists Tom Holroyd

Defending champions Saints will be strong favourites, having finished second on the table – three places above Leeds – and crushed Rhinos 40-6 in a league meeting just three weeks ago.

But Leeds are on the back of an 8-0 win at Wigan Warriors last Thursday and – with most of their big guns available – Holroyd insists confidence is high.

“We know we have got a quality side,” he said.

“When we walk on to the pitch we know what we can do, so we will go to Saints not holding back and ready for a good performance.

“We will have a good team out, but we need to do the job, regardless of who we put out.

“We’ve just got to put up a good performance, do the little things and go out firing.”

Saints had a bye through the opening round of the play-offs, but Leeds have had a full week to prepare and Holroyd insisted they have put the time to good use.

Rhinos trained on Monday and Tuesday, had yesterday off and were due to go through their final ‘captain’s run’ this morning.

“We’ll be ready for this game,” Holrolyd pledged.

“It’s very exciting, probably one of the biggest games of my life.

“It is a massive opportunity, not just for me, but for everyone involved.”

After losing four of their opening five league fixtures and being ravaged by injuries all year, Rhinos have exceeded expectations to get as far as the season’s penultimate weekend.

But Holroyd stressed: “The job’s not done, we can’t take pride in it yet, until we’ve done everything we can do.”

The mauling at TW Stadium earlier this month was Saints’ eighth successive win over Rhinos, but Leeds have won back-to-back games since then and Holroyd insisted: “We know we can challenge anyone when we’re on.”

He said: “We have got all our eyes set on the Grand Final and that’s what we are aiming for now.”

Tonight’s match will be Holroyd’s 15th of the campaign.

A fractured leg suffered in pre-season kept him on the sidelines until June, but he has been a regular in the side since then and, at only 20, is developing into one of the best young forwards in the British game.

He feels he is making progress, but insists he still has a long way to go before he reaches his best form.

“There’s a lot to improve on and a lot to work on,” he stressed. “I am not the finished product yet. I am happy with how I’m going so far, but I want to achieve something.”

Holrolyd described his game time this year as “all good experience”.

He added: “I am loving the game time and I love playing for Leeds, it’s brilliant – I am enjoying it.”

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