Leeds Rhinos v Saints

Match Report
As it Happened
Line Up
Match News

Saints left it to the last play of the game to secure a 16-14 victory over Leeds Rhinos at AMT Headingley Stadium!

First Half

Lachie Miller’s kick off went out on the full, so Saints had the first chance to apply pressure. The visitors ran it on the last, as Jack Welsby found Mark Percival but he was held up short of the Leeds line.

Ten minutes in, Chris Hankinson dropped the ball inside his own ten. Welsby tried an early kick a few tackles in, but James McDonnell collected a ricocheted kick.

With their first real attack, the visitors took the lead. Saints were forced into conceding a repeat set inside out own ten. The hosts moved the ball well through the hands from right to left and Hankinson was an extra man and he scored untouched in the corner. Jake Connor added the conversion from the left touchline, 6-0 the Rhinos led.

They could’ve had a second try minutes later. A Saints error gifted the hosts possession in our half, a few tackles in Brodie Croft stepped inside from the right edge and peaked through a gap, Saints did well to hold him up inches short of the line. The next tackle, Hankinson looked to cut in off the edge for his second try of the night but more stubborn Saints defence stopped him.

23 minutes in, we had our first trip to the video referee. Welsby’s high kick in midfield on the last was caught by Curtis Sironen, he offloaded to Morgan Knowles who fumbled but managed to kick ahead, and Lomax won the race to score to the right of the posts. The on-field verdict of try was confirmed after a check. Mark Percival levelled the scores with the conversion, 6-6 we were tied.

With their next attack, Leeds re-took the lead. Keenan Palasia found an offload and Leeds worked the ball to James McDonnell who broke through the Saints line down the right edge before reaching out to score. Connor converted, 12-6 Saints trailed.

The Red V tried to find a way back into the contest. Several penalties on the Leeds line gave Saints a good platform, but Lomax’s pass to Matt Whitley was fumbled into Connor’s arms.

A break downfield from George Delaney in the final minute of the half gave Saints more good field position. Lomax’s kick was collected by a Leeds man, with the half time hooter following a few seconds later. 12-6 Leeds led at the break.

Second Half

Five minutes into the second half, Leeds looked to have increased their lead. Under the posts, Leeds went left and Ash Handley got the ball, he cut inside and went through a massive gap to score with the referee awarding the try. Lomax challenged the call, saying he was obstructed and after a lengthy check, the video referee agreed and Saints had a penalty.

The hosts almost had that try minutes later though. They went down their short-side on the left on the last tackle, Miller put in a low kick which Harry Robertson deflected and Lomax reacted quickest to concede a dropout.

Another chance came and went. Harry Newman broke down the right edge and tried to find Croft with an offload but the ball went to ground and Saints recovered it. The same possession, Sironen broke through the line and found Shane Wright in support before he was stopped. Lomax tried a low kick the next play but Miller recovered it in the field of play.

Saints had their best chance of the half on the hour mark. Connor’s 20/40 went out on the full giving the Red V a set deep in Rhinos territory. They moved it right, through the hands but Bennison was pushed into touch as he dove for the corner.

With 17 minutes to go, Leeds had a great chance to give themselves a two-score lead. Moses Mbye caught Connor high and the hosts opted for two points. Connor added the penalty, 14-6 Saints trailed.

Tensions flared with 14 minutes left on the clock. Sironen and McDonnell were involved in a scuffle on the floor which saw both sides come together and Leeds awarded a penalty.

With less than six minutes to go, we had another trip upstairs. Saints moved the ball through the hands from left to right and Bennison cut in from the wing and spun his way over from close range. Despite the on-field verdict of no try, the four-pointer was given after a lengthy check. He converted his own try, 14-12 Saints trailed as we entered the final five minutes.

Saints won it with the final play of the game. The visitors had a penalty with two seconds to go and retained possesion well before eventually finding space down the left edge. The Saints moved it well through the hands and Wright buried his way over from close range to win the game!

Match Summary

Leeds Rhinos Team: Lachie Miller, Ryan Hall, Harry Newman, Ash Handley, Chris Hankinson, Brodie Croft, Jake Connor, Mikolaj Oledzki, Jarrod O’Connor, Keenan Palasia, James McDonnell, Morgan Gannon, Kallum Watkins.

Interchanges: James Bentley, Sam Lisone, Cooper Jenkins, Tom Holroyd.

18th Man: Joe Shorrocks.

Tries: Chris Hankinson (11), James McDonnell (28)

Conversions: Jake Connor (2 from 2)

Penalties: Jake Connor (1 from 1)

Saints Team: Tristan Sailor, Jon Bennison, Harry Robertson, Mark Percival, Deon Cross, Jack Welsby, Jonny Lomax, Alex Walmsley, Daryl Clark, Matty Lees, Matt Whitley, Curtis Sironen, Morgan Knowles.

Interchanges: Moses Mbye, James Bell, George Delaney, Shane Wright.

18th Man: Noah Stephens.

Tries: Jonny Lomax (23), Jon Bennison (75), Shane Wright (80)

Conversions: Mark Percival (1 from 1), Jon Bennison (1 from 2)

HT: 12-6

FT: 14-16

Club Sun 28 Sep 25

Betfred Super League Play-Off Eliminator Tickets Information

Saints Line up

6	Tristan Sailor
5	Jon Bennison
3	Harry Robertson
4	Mark Percival
5	Deon Cross
1	Jack Welsby
7	Jonny Lomax
8	Alex Walmsley
9	Daryl Clark
10	Matty Lees
11	Curtis Sironen
16	Matt Whitley
13	Morgan Knowles
14	Moses Mbye
15	James Bell
15	George Delaney
12	Shane Wright

Leeds Rhinos Line up

1	Lachie Miller
5	Ryan Hall
3	Harry Newman
4	Ash Handley
31	Chris Hankinson
6	Brodie Croft
18	Jake Connor
8	Mikolaj Oledzki
14	Jarrod O'Connor
10	Keenan Palasia
12	James McDonnell
16	Morgan Gannon
28	Kallum Watkins
11	James Bentley
15	Sam Lisone
17	Cooper Jenkins
19	Tom Holroyd

Last updated 27 Sep 25 22:21:03

Never. Write. Us. Off.

80'

Bennison misses the kick, and that’s it.

WOW WOW WOWWWW

80'

Try

Shane Wright for Saints

WHAT THE HELL HAS JUST HAPPENED?!!?!?!

🦏 14-16 😇

80'

Leeds are offside, the clock is finished though. One tackle left in this game.

79'

50 seconds to go. Croft stopped by our own line.

78'

Walmsley goes for the offload on the right edge, but Leeds knock it back and then jump on it.

Just over a minute to go.

78'

Good D by our men, keeping Leeds at bay. Sailor then deals with a grubber kick very well.

77'

Robertson takes a tackle and loses the ball.

76'

Goal

Jon Bennison for Saints

Benno adds the kick! COME ON!

4:45 on the clock.

🦏 14-12 😇

75'

Try

Jon Bennison for Saints

BENNNOOOO! ✊

Jon Bennison keep us in this Play-Offs fight!

The Video Referee confirmed the score.

🦏 14-10 😇

75'

75′ Saints push for a score on the right edge, Bennison evades a first tackler and then twists to ground on the line.

Referee gives a no try and calls for the Video Ref.

🦏 14-6 😇

73'

Saints get a reset of the tackle count after a Rhinos hand touched the ball. We’re in their red zone.

72'

Leeds after catching a kick try pass it out to their left edge, Handley is then brought down after initially shaking away Robertson.

71'

A flat pass to Robertson 10m out can’t be caught and Leeds get the coughed up ball. They then also get a penalty, easing the defensive pressure.

70'

Hall loses the ball coming out of the Leeds own 30m at the play of the ball.

Leeds use their Captain’s Challenge, it is unsuccessful.

🦏 14-6 😇

69'

Lomax kicks on the last, after some offloading plays by Saints.

68'

Rhinos go close but St.Helens force the error with their goal-line defence.

🦏 14-6 😇

67'

The referee has a word with the captains, and then Saints are penalised for it. More pressure in our own red zone.

67'

Uh oh, a big coming together after Sironen and McDonnell both put their hands in one another’s face.

66'

St.Helens go for a short kick-off, Leeds get to it first.

65'

Goal

Jake Connor for Leeds Rhinos

65'

The penalty is added.

🦏 14-6 😇

64'

Leeds get an offload away as they get into our 30m, Connor in the middle is taken high by Mbye.

Rhinos call for the kicking tee.

62'

Chaotic play, ball goes lose and both teams try get their hands to it. Play judged to go on, on the last, we kick and then Leeds catch.

60'

Saints go close with Bennison in the corner, a slap pass by Welsby to Jon sees him run into the right corner but taken in touch.

🦏 12-6 😇

59'

Connor then goes for a 40/20 but it’s out on the full.

58'

Brilliant break by Sironen, he has Wright in support and he’s stopped 20m out.

Lomax then places a clever kick to the right corner, and Robertson stops Miller.

57'

The Rhinos push through and Newman gets an offload away with the try-line begging, but Croft knocks it on.

Let off for St.Helens.

56'

The Saints again with a good attack, but we’re flagged for running around our own man.

55'

Offloading play by Saints get us up to the Rhinos’ 30m line. Welsby’s kick is taken by Miller and chased by Sailor, but Lomax stops the Leeds fullback evading tackles.

53'

Newman offloads to Hall, but the winger drops the ball as we reach him to tackle.

52'

Percival rises highest to a Connor kick which was just short of our line. Great take.

50'

Delaney tries to take a pass and a hit up but loses the ball, Leeds again with a scrum just in our half.

49'

Cross left a kick by Croft perfectly to run out for a tap 20m.

48'

Leeds will get a GLDO after a short kick on the last is grounded by Lomax.

47'

Saints knock on by the halfway line. Leeds scrum.

46'

Handley then goes in for the Rhinos, try given on the field. However, we use our Captain’s Challenge as Lomax believes he was obstructed, leading to the gap by our line.

Challenge is successful.

44'

Sailor looks to play the ball coming away from our own 30m line but loses the ball.

42'

Calm start to the half, Saints kick and chase in the Rhinos half and look to keep them there now.

Matty Lees has left Headingley as his wife has gone into labour, we would like to wish Beth and Matty all the best! 👶

❤️

⏸️ The Saints trail by six points in the Eliminator Play-Off at AMT Headingley Stadium

Half time sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport

40'

Lomax goes for a short kick to the right corner, but Leeds catch it.

39'

Robertson turns the pressure around after scrambling onto a lost Leeds ball.

38'

Knowles is taken high, Leeds’ fifth penalty in recent minutes.

However, we don’t kick the ball out. Frustrating.

36'

Massive let off for the hosts, after repeated penalties by the Leeds line.

Then early in a set, a pass gets intercepted, easing the pressure.

🦏 12-6 😇

35'

Sailor with two Rhinos on him 10m out loses the ball, immediately he looks to shout to Lomax for a Captain’s Challenge.

Challenge is successful, ball strip.

🦏 12-6 😇

34'

High shot on Lees as he went looking to power over under the sticks.

33'

We use the penalty to push the Rhinos back onto their own 10m line, and Welsby finishes the set with a cross field ball but Rhinos rise highest.

Lisone with his first carry then knocks on.

30'

Jenkins with a high shot on Clark, looked a little like a swinging arm but penalty sufficient.

29'

Goal

Jake Connor for Leeds Rhinos

Connor kicks the conversion.

28'

Try

James McDonnell for Leeds Rhinos

From an offside penalty, the Rhinos get into our half.

Palasia gets an offload away and McDonnell close to the line manages to drive his way over.

26'

Saints judged offside in the Leeds half.

24'

Goal

Mark Percival for Saints

Percival knocks over the two ✌

23'

Try

Jonny Lomax for Saints

LOMAXXX! ©️

The Saints skipper gets us back in this one!

The Video Ref check confirms the kick, and the grounding!

🦏 6-4 😇

23'

Sironen catches a high Welsby bomb, offloads it and Knowles looks to have kicked it on.

Lomax chases and he thinks he’s scored!

We go to the Video Ref, try given on field.

🦏 6-0 😇

22'

Miller might have got away with one there, looked like a potential knock on from our kick but we play on.

21'

The Saints with some great defending after sustained pressure by our own line. Croft and Hankinson both went close, but we turn them away for now.

🦏 6-0 😇

19'

Leeds keep piling on the pressure, a short kick on the left edge is knocked back by Lomax and then grounded in-goal by Bennison.

18'

We invite more pressure after a Sailor knock on by our own 30m line.

17'

Miller went hunting after getting an offload which caught us out, he kicked a short grubber close to the line but Lomax is there and takes it out of his own in-goal.

16'

Welsby goes early with a 40/20 attempt, but Hall is back there to catch.

15'

Great response from the Red V after the points, we hold Leeds back in their own 40m.

13'

Goal

Jake Connor for Leeds Rhinos

Connor adds the kick.

12'

Try

Chris Hankinson for Leeds Rhinos

Try. Leeds.

A dangerous kick in the right corner was cleared out by Percival, but gave Leeds another set 10m out. Leeds pulled it left and Hankinson dives into the corner for the opening points.

🦏 4-0 😇

11'

The Rhinos with their best attack so far, a half break gets cut down by Saints.

Newman then 20m out goes for a grubber into the right corner, but Percival clears it out.

Leeds ball. 10m out.

Saints go close but still Leeds hold us out, Welsby tries a short grubber but McDonnell leaps on it.

Hankinson drops a Lomax bomb 15m off his own line.

Leeds stopped once more by their own half, Sailor fields Croft’s kick calmly.

Welsby goes with a high bomb, Percival rises highest and looks to offload but McDonnell intercepts it.

Leeds get held in their own half, Connor kicks a bomb which Sailor allows to bounce and then he takes it at pace.

The Red V again push the Rhinos back onto their own try-line, Lomax on the last manages to get a kick away but Leeds scramble to it.

The Rhinos try go out to their left wing early, but Robertson and Lees take Hankinson into touch by the halfway line.