Peter Smith's Leeds Rhinos player ratings as stunning fightback shocks Leigh Leopards

For 49 minutes Leeds were second-best, but a try-saving tackle by Handley just about kept them in it and when they clicked, soon after that, they were irresistible. They certainly rode their luck, but winning games in this manner does wonders for a team’s self-belief.

Three minutes after the break, referee Chris Kendall thought Leigh’s Umyla Hanley had scored at the corner, which would have made it 20-0 with the kick to come and almost certainly ended the game as a contest, but video official Ben Thaler spotted a foot in touch in Handley’s desperate tackle. That was the pivotal moment and after it, Leeds, poor previously, really started to play.

Rhyse Martin and Brodie Croft were outstanding and the latter sent the former twisting over to get them on the board after 49 minutes. The game further swung Leeds’ way when Leigh’s Gareth O’Brien was sin-binned for holding down Croft with 19 left and Matt Frawley took advantage by dummying and stepping through for a well-taken solo try.

Martin converted again and was involved as Rhinos got level almost immediately. His kick on the last was picked up by Handley, the ball was turned inside to Paul Momirovski and he offloaded back for the winger’s sixth try of the campaign. There was no goal, but then Croft played a one-two with Martin and Handley was there to score again to give Rhinos the lead. Martin added the extras and Leeds held on despite Justin Sangare’s 74th minute sin-binning for a late challenge.

All that drama - and Leeds’ celebrations at the end - didn’t seem remotely likely for most of the game. Full-back O’Brien, scrum-half Lachlan Lam and loose-forward Tom Amone cut Leeds apart and after they had survived some early pressure, the hosts were too quick for a Rhinos team who threw the ball about, but didn’t go forward enough.

Lapses of concentration by Rhinos led to Leigh’s first two tries. Frawley ran the ball on the last, Momirovski was caught in possession and in the set from the turnover, O’Brien scooted past Harry Newman from Lam’s pass. Then Zak Hardaker took a quick tap to send Hanley dashing away; he was brought down by Miller, but Lam put Kai O’Donnell over and Matt Moylan’s goal made it 10-0 after 21 minutes.

Croft’s knock-on gave the ball for the hosts’ third try six later, Hanley finishing in spectacular style from a pass by O’Brien. Seven minutes before the break Moylan added a penalty following a high tackle by Jarrod O’Connor on Robbie Mulhern and it could have been worse than 16-0, but Amone had a touchdown ruled out by Kendall and video assistant Thaler because of a double movement.

Leeds’ discipline needs to improve – Leigh received 12 penalties to the visitors’ five – and they are making too many errors, but when their attack gels, it’s fun to watch. Credit to Kendall and Thaler for punishing high shots with penalties rather than yellow cards.

Leigh Leopards: O’Brien, Hanley, Hardaker, Leutele, Charnley, Moylan, Lam, Hughes, Dwyer, Mulhern, O’Donnell, Halton, Amone. Subs Norman, Davis, Nakubuwai, Trout.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Roberts, Newman, Momirovski, Handley, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Goudemand, McDonnell, Martin, Smith. Subs O’Connor, Holroyd, Ruan, Sangare.

Referee: Chris Kendall (Huddersfield).