Peter Smith’s verdict: Leigh Centurions prove too strong for below-par Featherstone Rovers

IN 2012, Leeds Rhinos – coached by Brian McDermott – lost to Warrington Wolves in the Challenge Cup decider, but reversed that result in the game that really mattered, the Super League Grand Final.
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If history repeats itself a decade on and McDermott’s current club Featherstone Rovers are promoted to the top-flight, he will feel their defeat to Leigh Centurions in Saturday’s 1895 Cup final was well worth it.

Rovers and Leigh are streets ahead of the other 10 teams in the Betfred Championship and it will be a huge shock if they don’t meet again in the Million Pound match at the end of this season.

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In that case, Rovers will be better for their surprisingly emphatic loss in the first rugby league game staged at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Featherstone's Craig Hall touches down against Leigh Centurions in the 1895 Cup final. Picture: Will Palmer/SWpix.com.Featherstone's Craig Hall touches down against Leigh Centurions in the 1895 Cup final. Picture: Will Palmer/SWpix.com.
Featherstone's Craig Hall touches down against Leigh Centurions in the 1895 Cup final. Picture: Will Palmer/SWpix.com.

Retaining the trophy they won last July would have been a bonus, but the 1895 Cup final was always going to be a gauge of where Rovers stand compared to their only serious title rivals.

Since Featherstone’s win in a league game three months ago, both teams have strengthened, but on Saturday’s evidence, Leigh are now a little way ahead, despite trailing by a point in the Championship table.

They scored five tries to two and were the better team, despite making a host of errors in the first half, but the gap is nothing Rovers can’t bridge.

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Both teams are used to blowing the opposition away and, realistically, they would each benefit from more tougher matches, but Leigh coped better when they were put under pressure.

Krisnan Inu of Leigh Centurions scores his side's first try against Featherstone Rovers. Picture: Will Palmer/SWpix.com.Krisnan Inu of Leigh Centurions scores his side's first try against Featherstone Rovers. Picture: Will Palmer/SWpix.com.
Krisnan Inu of Leigh Centurions scores his side's first try against Featherstone Rovers. Picture: Will Palmer/SWpix.com.

They also had the best player on the field in substitute hooker Edwin Ipape, a Papua New Guinea international who ran in a brilliant solo try in the second half and was a deserved man of the match.

All Rovers’ points were scored by last year’s Ray French medal winner Craig Hall, through two tries, a conversion and three penalties.

He had a good game, but Featherstone’s best player was full-back Mark Kheirallah, a recent signing who was a key member of Toulouse Olympique’s Championship Grand Final winning side against Rovers last year. Unfortunately, Kheirallah’s error – when he tried to shepherd a kick dead, only for Sam Stone to nip past and touch down – led to the final try in the closing moments, but the game was already out of Rovers’ reach by that stage.

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Featherstone didn’t play badly, but weren’t at the level they are capable of and played some panic rugby, which led to a succession of costly errors, when they were chasing the game in the final quarter.

That’s the sort of thing they will learn from and look to put into practice when they visit Leigh for a league four-pointer in two weeks’ time.

The sides also meet at Headingley in this year’s Summer Bash, which could be a decider for the league leaders’ shield.

Both teams led twice in a scrappy, but end-to-end first half, which finished 12-12.

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Hall landed an early penalty, but Krisnan Inu made a terrific catch from Ben Reynolds’ kick to score the opening try and then land the first of his five goals.

Kheirallah sent Hall in, the winger converting and adding a penalty before Reynolds’ converted touchdown edged Leigh back in front.

Hall’s third goal levelled matters, but Leigh took control with 12 points in 10 second-half minutes, Inu equalising with a penalty before Blake Ferguson and Ipape, whose effort was converted, both crossed.

Hall’s second try gave Rovers a glimmer, but – crucially – it wasn’t converted and Leigh had a hand on the trophy before Stone’s late clincher.

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Featherstone Rovers: Keirallah, Briscoe, Leilua, Hellewell, Hall, M Smith, Jacks, Kopczak, Wildie, Lockwood, Bussey, Sene-Lefao, Moors. Subs Ford, Davies, Ferres, Cooper.

Leigh Centurions: Aekins, Ferguson, Chamberlain, MacDonald, Inu, Reynolds, Mellor, Sidlow, A Smith, Amone, Wardle, Stone, Asiata. Subs O’Donnell, Nakubuwai, Ioane, Ipape.

Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan).

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