Leeds Rhinos Nostalgia: Differing fortunes for All Black pair at Leeds

Craig Innes, one of the classiest centres to have played for the club, made his debut when Ryedale-York visited Headingley in the first round of the Challenge Cup.

And full-back John Gallagher, who had completed a high-profile switch from rugby union the previous year, returned to the team and scored 20 points through a try and eight goals in Leeds’ comfortable 48-6 victory.

The Loiners, then coached by David Ward, caused a sensation when they signed Gallagher ahead of the 1990-91 season, but Innes had the better Leeds career.

Gallagher had won 18 caps for New Zealand and just been voted the best rugby union player in the world when Leeds splashed out £350,000 to sign him in May, 1990.

Initially he settled in well and was touted as a Great Britain candidate after scoring a try in Leeds’ 22-10 loss to Australia a week before the first Test at Wembley.

Gallagher scored 13 tries in 30 appearances in his first season, but his form – and confidence – never fully recovered after he was the victim of an unpunished spear tackle in a defeat at St Helens in January, 1991.

Four months later, Leeds were 7-4 ahead against Hull just two minutes from the end of a Premiership semi-final at the Boulevard when Gallagher failed to deal with a high kick and the home team snatched a dramatic winning try to end the Loiners’ season.

The writing was on the wall for the New Zealander the following season when new coach Doug Laughton signed full-backs Morvin Edwards and Alan Tait.

Laughton was known for getting the best out of former union players, but wasn’t impressed by Gallagher and the Cup tie against York was one of only seven appearances the ex-All Black made during the 1991-92 campaign.

Gallagher moved to London Crusaders in 1993 and switched back to union after the 15-a-side code went openly professional two years later.

Innes was persuaded to change codes by Laughton in 1992 after being capped 17 times for New Zealand’s union side.

Leeds had Kevin Iro, another Kiwi, on the opposite flank and the two centres were a devastating attacking force, Innes scoring 52 tries in 136 games before his time at the club came to a controversial end.

He was a try scorer on his final appearance in a Challenge Cup win over Warrington at Wilderspool in February, 1996, but then – on the eve of the first Super League season – left to play for Manly Sea Eagles in Australia’s elite competition.

The move angered Leeds who threatened to take legal action, but Innes thrived in the ARL, scoring the first try – and kicking a goal – in Manly’s Grand Final win over St George at the end of his first season there.

He touched down again the following year when Manly lost the title decider 22-16 to a Newcastle Knights side coached by former Leeds boss Malcolm Reilly and including future Rhinos Lee Jackson and Marc Glanville.

Innes finished his career back in union with Auckland Blues and later became a player’s agent.

His Leeds debut, on January 25, 1992, came four days after the Loiners had won 36-12 at Bramley in the Cup’s preliminary round. The tie against York was televised on BBC1’s Grandstand as a replacement for Salford’s clash with Wigan, which fell victim to bad weather, Headingley’s undersoil heating guaranteeing the game would go ahead.

Man-of-the-match John Bentley scored a hat-trick and Edwards and David Creasser, who had run in three tries against Bramley, both crossed twice as the second division side were outclassed, but it was a costly win for Leeds who lost Garry Schofield to a broken cheekbone.

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