Betfred Super League
Huddersfield (0) 0
Leeds (8) 26
Tries:Newman, Gannon, Croft, OledskiGoals:Connor 2, Miller 3
Leeds Rhinos boosted their hopes of a second-place finish in Super League with a 26-0 shutout away win over Huddersfield Giants.
The Rhinos struggled to build on their early dominance, with just Harry Newman’s try to show for it, and had to soak up pressure before two Jake Connor penalties made it 8-0 at the break.
Leeds finally cashed in on their attacking dominance through Morgan Gannon’s opportunistic score on the hour.
Lachlan Miller’s moment of magic sent Brodie Croft through before Mikolaj Oledski burrowed over to cap a fifth straight victory as Leeds moved level on points with second-placed Wigan.
While far from clinical, Leeds got the points which maintains their hopes of nicking second place and avoiding the added challenge of a Super League play-off eliminator.
Wigan face a tough game in hand away to St Helens on Friday and will host the Rhinos in what could be a winner-takes-all final round of the regular season.
The Rhinos looked ominous from the start, pinning the home side back and stealing yards with expansive running rugby, yet handling errors let them down.
The breakthrough did come within 11 minutes when Croft threaded a super kick through the Giants backline for Newman to chase down for his ninth try of the season.
Huddersfield regrouped and replied with threat of their own in a sustained spell of territory and possession, with George Flanagan’s score ruled out for a forward pass from Joe Greenwood on his 100th appearance.
Yet Leeds’ improved defence held out, just, and the hosts’ growing frustration led to ill discipline which allowed Rhinos to edge into a two-score lead at the break.
Jack Billington’s shoulder charge on Connor earned the Rhinos a penalty which the stand-off picked himself up to slot through. And moments later an off-the-ball challenge from Woolford allowed Connor to split the posts from 40 metres.
Giants had to soak up more early pressure as the second half followed a similar pattern, with Leeds battering away while struggling to turn territory and possession into points.
Fiercely committed defence kept home hopes alive, and the Rhinos needed a stroke of luck to extend the lead when Gannon scooped up a poor Miller pass to burst through the middle and cross.
Sam Lisone dragged three Giants over the line, but was ruled held up as the visitors looked to add deserved gloss to the scoreline.
A little flair and sublime vision from Miller did just that, collecting his own chip kick to send the supporting Croft away to slide over before Oledski powered through for a last-gasp score.
Huddersfield:Flanagan; Halsall, Gagai, Bibby, McGowan; Rush, Russell; Rushton, Billington, Greenwood, Burgess, Woolford, Powell.
Interchanges:Golding, King, Rogers, Land.
Leeds:Miller; Hall, Newman, McCormack, Hankinson; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, Ackers, Gannon, McDonnell, Watkins.
Interchanges:Cassell, Bentley, Lisone, O’Connor.
Referee:Tom Grant.
