Peter Smith's Leeds Rhinos player ratings V Catalans Dragons as pair score 9s in thriller

Rhinos seemed down and out when they trailed 22-8 at half-time, but produced a stunning second-half performance to run in five unanswered tries.

Tom Davies’ outstnading finish gave Catalans an early lead before Harry Newman got Rhinos off the mark with a well-taken try from Cameron Smith’s pass; then Rhyse Martin picked up from Blake Austin’s kick, hacked ahead and ran through to touch down. Nene Macdonald was tackled into touch just before getting the ball down and Newman couldn’t gather Aidan Sezer’s kick just short of the line.

But Adam Keighran sliced through to restore the visitors’ lead and then Mitchell Pearce was awarded a score by video referee Marcus Griffiths, despite an initial call of ‘no try’ for him being tackled short and stretching over on the second attempt.

Zane Tetevano crossed just before the break, but Richie Myler’s pass was forward; then Paul Seguier touched down from a loose ball after Martin offloaded behind Rhinos’ line. Keighran landed his third goal, but that proved to be Catalans’ final points.

Newman made Rhinos’ task harder by getting himself sin-binned for dissent early in the second-half, however Rhinos scored two tries in his absence, through Myler - off Sezer’s pass - and Jarrod O’Connor who snuck over from acting-half.

Newman had a touchdown ruled out for a foot in touch, but Derrell Olpherts’ superb finish, from Austin’s break, cut the gap to just two, then Tom Holroyd stormed over from a pass by Austin after the stand-off had booted a 40-20.

Sezer converted and Leeds sealed it in spectacular fashion when Myler fielded a kick near his own line, broke into space and Newman was in support to jubilantly dive over. Martin’s first goal - with his sixth attempt – completed the scoring.