One 8, nobody else above 6 in Peter Smith's player ratings as Leeds Rhinos nilled at Catalans Dragons again

The margins are getting smaller - 61 in 2023, 26 last year and 11-0 this evening - so in a couple of visits, Rhinos might manage a no-score draw after golden-point extra-time - but this was a deeply frustrating 80 minutes when they could and should have done so much better.

It was a horrible game, full of errors and with very few moments of quality. Catalans weren’t any better than Leeds overall, but they managed to profit from a couple of the visitors’ mistakes and that deservedly earned them the points. Both their tries came in the second half, Reimis Smith crossing off errors by Harry Newman and debutant winger Ethan Clark-Wood.

Catalans led 1-0 at the break thanks to Luke Keary’s smart drop goal in the set from a penalty after Jarrod O’Connor - in his 100th Leeds appearance - had a try ruled out for offside. Effort wasn’t the issue for Leeds and they defended strongly, but execution was very poor and they seemed to run out of ideas. In hindsight, not taking the two from a penalty late in the first half was the wrong decision, though understandable as Catalans were down to 12 men at the time.

It was the sort of game where scoring first was likely to be decisive. After just three minutes, Jake Connor knocked-on over the line from a kick by Brodie Croft. Leeds wasted their captain’s challenge by claiming the ball came off one of the full-back’s knees.

Catalans returned the favour inside the opening quarter after they’d knocked on a Connor’s clever short drop out. The kickable penalty was turned down during Romain Navarrete’s spell off the field for a dangerous tackle on Andy Ackers.

Connor followed him for a similar offence, on Benjamin Garcia, with three minutes remaining in the half. Navarrete returned soon afterwards, but the visitors were unlucky not to break the deadlock when second-rower James McDonnell’s kick hit a post and was touched down by O’Connor in his 100th appearance for the club. Moore indicated a try, but video official Liam Rush ruled Matt Frawley offside.

That gave Catalans a penalty with 30 seconds of the half remaining and Keary was clever enough to make it count, landing a drop goal on the final play. Catalans went two scores clear just three minutes after the resumption.

In an error-strewn game, it was inevitable it came from a mistake. Young winger Riley Lumb - who had a fine game - made a try-saving tackle on Chris Satae and Clark-Wood forced the ball loose when Keary kicked to the other flank on the last. Harry Newman picked up to counter, lost the ball in contract and Smith rumbled over.

The game’s other try also came off a mistake, Clark-Wood being unable to take a cross-kick, allowing Smith to touch down again. Agonisingly for Leeds, they seemed to have created space on the left, but Ash Handley could not take Jack Sinfield’s pass, setting up the field position for Smith to secure the points with nine minutes left. Tariq Sims had a late touchdown ruled out by the video official.

The things Leeds have done so well this year – completions and penalties (the count was seven-five against them, one of Leeds’ coming on the last play) went badly wrong. One bit of trivia, Connor landed a 20-40 kick in the opening period, which was Leeds’ first-ever.

Catalans Dragons: Morgue, Makinson, Laguerre, Smith, Cotric, Keary, Fages, Pangai, Garcia, Bousquet, Sims, Whitehead, Partington. Subs Da Costa, Satae, Navarrete, Seguier.

Leeds Rhinos: Connor, Lumb, Newman, Handley, Clark-Wood, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Palasia, Gannon, McDonnell, Bentley. Subs O’Connor, Sinfield, Lisone, Jenkins.

Referee: Aaron Moore (Wigan).