Sensational Saints hammer Leeds as Grace scores a hat-trick

In an all-round scintillating performance, Saints beat Leeds Rhinos 48-0 at Emerald Headingley as Regan Grace scored a wonderful hat-trick.

Saints got off to a great start, with James Graham bagging his first try since his return after seven minutes. Alex Walmsley powered towards the line and his prop partner, Graham forced his way over the line through three Leeds defenders. Lachlan Coote converted giving Saints a 6-0 lead.

Walmsley doubled the Saints’ lead in the 15th minute, powering past three defenders to score underneath the sticks, after Saints capitalised on a defensive error by the Rhinos. Coote converted once more, leaving the score 12-0.

Tommy Makinson got the third in the 27th minute, the ball moving across the line to the right quickly through the hands of Theo Fages, James Roby and Coote, leaving Makinson a simple touchdown in the corner. Coote kicked the conversion from a tight angle, giving Saints an 18-0 lead.

Grace scored his first try of the season just before half time in spectacular fashion, running the full length of the pitch past five Leeds players to score underneath the sticks. Coote converted as the hooter sounded, giving Saints a 24-0 lead at half time.

Saints defence was equally as impressive, halting the Rhinos on numerous occasions and their resolve was rewarded again as Grace grabbed his second try of the game which was just as brilliantly as the first. This one saw the Welshman jump and stretch, touching down in the left corner in flying fashion. Coote again converted from a tight angle, giving Saints a 30-0 lead after 58 minutes.

Grace completed the hat-trick in the 65th minute and this was arguably the best one yet. He picked the ball up in his own goal and raced the full length of the pitch to score beneath the sticks. Coote maintained a 100% conversion rate, leaving the score 36-0.

Saints refused to let up and Fages added another in the 74th minute. Walmsley once again powering through three defenders before laying the ball on to Fages who touched down unchallenged between the sticks. Coote kicked his seventh conversion, giving Saints a 42-0 lead.

Coote himself, added the icing on top of the cake on the hooter. James Bentley burst through the middle before laying the ball to the supporting Scot to score under the sticks. He added to his own conversion, kicking 8 from 8 as Saints ran out 48-0 winners, becoming the first team to ever beat Leeds to nil at home in Super League history.

Match Summary

Leeds: Ash Handley, Luke Briscoe, Harry Newman, Alex Sutcliffe, Tom Briscoe, Callum McLelland, Luke Gale, Ava Seumanufagai, Brad Dwyer, Matt Prior, Alex Mellor, Rhyse Martin, Cameron Smith.

Interchanges: Mikolaj Oledzki, Adam Cuthbertson, Kruise Leeming, Rhys Evans.

Saints: Lachlan Coote, Tommy Makinson, Kevin Naiqama, Matty Costello, Regan Grace, Jonny Lomax, Theo Fages, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, James Graham, James Bentley, Zeb Taia, Morgan Knowles.

Interchanges: Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Matty Lees, Kyle Amor, Aaron Smith.

Tries: Graham (7), Walmsley (15), Makinson (27), Grace (49, 58, 65), Fages (74), Coote (80)

Goals: Coote (8)

Half time: 0-24

Full Time: 0-48

Referee: Chris Kendall

Saints Line up

1 Lachlan Coote
2 Tommy Makinson
3 Kevin Naiqama
21 Matthew Costello
5 Regan Grace
6 Jonny Lomax
7 Theo Fages
8 Alex Walmsley
James Roby
32 James Graham
11 Zeb Taia
12 James Bentley
13 Morgan Knowles
15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
10 Matty Lees
18 Kyle Amor
19 Aaron Smith

Leeds Rhinos Line up

1Ash Handley
2Luke Briscoe
3Harry Newman
4Alex Sutcliffe
5Tom Briscoe
6Callum McLelland
7Luke Gale
8Ava Seumanufagai
9Brad Dwyer
10Matt Prior
11Alex Mellor
12Rhyse Martin
13Cameron Smith
14Mikolaj Oledzki
15Adam Cuthbertson
16Kruise Leeming
17Rhys Evans

Last updated 9 Aug 20 20:18:33

FT: 🦏 Rhinos 0-48 Saints 🔴⚪

A quite brilliant display in both attack and defence as tries from Graham, Walmsley, Makinson, Fages, and Coote, plus a hat-trick from Regan Grace sees us take two impressive points! 💪

80'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

Coooote makes it 8 from 8!

🦏 Rhinos 0-48 Saints 🔴⚪

80'
Try
Lachlan Coote for Saints

Coooote adds the icing on the cake as he latches onto a brilliant break and offload from Bentley to score!

🦏 Rhinos 0-46 Saints 🔴⚪

85'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

*Correction the time was actually 84 – Time flies when you’re having fun! 👀

Coote converts.

🦏 Rhinos 0-42 Saints 🔴⚪

73'
Try
Theo Fages for Saints

We are in again this time it’s the little Frenchman who has a walk-in try after Big Alex Walmsley again powers his way through the Leeds defence and offloads. Brilliant.

🦏 Rhinos 0-40 Saints 🔴⚪

66'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

Coooote adds the extras and we have less than 15 minutes to go here at Headingley!

🦏 Rhinos 0-36 Saints 🔴⚪

65'
Try
Regan Grace for Saints

THE BOY HAS DONE IT AGAIN…@ReganGrace5 with his hat-trick and it’s another special try, picking the ball up on his own line, breaking through and running the length to score! WOW! 🔥

🦏 Rhinos 0-34 Saints 🔴⚪

📸 The forwards are doing a grand job this evening! 💪

@plattyphoto

59'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

Coooooote keeps up his 100% kicking record, brilliantly converting from out-wide as the 30 is up for the Saints!

🦏 Rhinos 0-30 Saints 🔴⚪

58'
Try
Regan Grace for Saints

Another ‘what a try’ moment for that man Grace who flies over in the corner and some how gets the ball down for his second of the game!

🦏 Rhinos 0-28 Saints 🔴⚪

54'

Yet again the Saints defence stands firm after two successive Rhinos penalties! Impressive stuff! 💪

🦏 Rhinos 0-24 Saints 🔴⚪

50'

Saints defend the Rhinos set-restart strongly again as constant defensive pressure forces the Leeds player to find touch with his attempted pass out wide!

🦏 Rhinos 0-24 Saints 🔴⚪

45'

Makinson breaks through the Rhinos line, but is taken down as we look to start the second half, how we ended the first…

🦏 Rhinos 0-24 Saints 🔴⚪

41'

We are back underway…same again, boys! 🔴⚪

🦏 Rhinos 0-24 Saints 🔴⚪

HT: 🦏 Rhinos 0-24 Saints 🔴⚪

First half tries from Graham, Walmsley, Makinson and ‘Amazing Grace’, plus Coote’s 100% record with the boot means we are in control at the break! 💪

40'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

Coooote adds the extras as the hooter sounds!

🦏 Rhinos 0-24 Saints 🔴⚪

39'
Try
Regan Grace for Saints

🔥 WHAT.A.TRY. 🔥

Regan Grace finds a gap in the Leeds defence to race 80 metres, via a silky weave past the full back, to score a worldy!

🦏 Rhinos 0-22 Saints 🔴⚪

38'

Great defence from the Saints again halts the Rhinos on our own line! 💪

🦏 Rhinos 0-18 Saints 🔴⚪

📸 @TommyMak21 with his game face 🔛 after flying over for his try earlier!

@plattyphoto

31'

Kyle Amor and Matty Lees are both on as we head into the final 10 minutes of this first half at Headingley…

🦏 Rhinos 0-18 Saints 🔴⚪

30'

We are nearly in again…Fages makes a break through the Leeds defence and launches the ball out-wide to Grace, but he is forced into touch!

🦏 Rhinos 0-18 Saints 🔴⚪

28'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

COOOOOOTE nails the touch-line conversion attempt to extend our lead!

🦏 Rhinos 0-18 Saints 🔴⚪

27'
Try
Tommy Makinson for Saints

Makinson is in in the corner! The ball is swung from left to right and Cooote’s pass finds Makinson and he flies over in typical Tommy fashion!

🦏 Rhinos 0-16 Saints 🔴⚪

26'

A decent set again from Saints sees Cooote’s kick grasped by Luke Briscoe, but he is forced in goal and we will come again!

🦏 Rhinos 0-12 Saints 🔴⚪

22'

Morgan Knowles is off for a concussion assessment with LMS on in his place as great defence out wide from Regan Grace forces Luke Briscoe in touch and we will get the ball back!

🦏 Rhinos 0-12 Saints 🔴⚪

📸 Big Al powers his way over!

@plattyphoto

21'

This time Zeb Taia loses the ball and the Rhinos come away with it before winning a set restart…

🦏 Rhinos 0-12 Saints 🔴⚪

20'

The ball is kept alive on the left side before it’s kicked high by Fages. Makinson so nearly leaps highest to score but Tom Briscoe comes away with it before knocking on!

🦏 Rhinos 0-12 Saints 🔴⚪

18'

Walmlsey is involved again as he wins a penalty and we have a set of six in the Rhinos half…

🦏 Rhinos 0-12 Saints 🔴⚪

📸 The moment James Graham re-opened his Saints account with the opening try of the game!

@plattyphoto

17'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

Cooooote adds the two and it’s a 12 point lead!

🦏 Rhinos 0-12 Saints 🔴⚪

16'
Try
Alex Walmsley for Saints

💥 The WRECKING BALL! He laid our first on a plate after a rampaging run and he has just done the same again powering over three Rhinos defenders to score!

🦏 Rhinos 0-10 Saints 🔴⚪

11'

Cooote’s kick runs dead and the Rhinos survive.

🦏 Rhinos 0-6 Saints 🔴⚪

9'

Saints continue to press as James Bentley wins a penalty and Jonny Lomax kicks for touch…Can we double our lead?

🦏 Rhinos 0-6 Saints 🔴⚪

8'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

Cooooooote makes no mistake and converts to give us an early lead here at Headingley!

🦏 Rhinos 0-6 Saints 🔴⚪

8'
Try
James Graham for Saints

YES WE CAN! JAMMERRRRR! The big man is in for his first try back in the Red Vee as he grabs hold of a short ball and powers his way over to the left of the sticks!

🦏 Rhinos 0-4 Saints 🔴⚪

7'

We win our first set restart on halfway and have a chance to put the Rhinos under some continued pressure…Can we make it count?

🦏 Rhinos 0-0 Saints 🔴⚪

6'

Our first real attack sees James Graham knock on Theo Fages’ short ball 10 metres out.

🦏 Rhinos 0-0 Saints 🔴⚪

5'

Solid defence from the Saints sees Luke Gale’s kick run dead and we come away with it through the powerful and energetic Tommy Makinson.

🦏 Rhinos 0-0 Saints 🔴⚪

4'

A pretty even start here early with both teams exchanging sets before the Rhinos force a goal-line drop out.

🦏 Rhinos 0-0 Saints 🔴⚪

We are off and underway at Emerald Headingley! 🔴⚪

Follow minute-by-minute action in our live blog! 👇

https://www.saintsrlfc.com/matches/2020/first-team/leeds-rhinos-v-saints-2020-08-09/

🦏 Rhinos 0-0 Saints 🔴⚪