Super League: Leeds Rhinos 18-14 Huddersfield Giants: Late Austin try settles derby thriller
- Published
Rhyse Martin scored a try and landed three goals for Leeds to take his successful kicking streak to 30
Betfred Super League |
|---|
Leeds (6) 18 |
Tries: Martin, Myler, Austin Goals: Martin 3 |
Huddersfield (8) 14 |
Tries: Leutele, Senior, Cudjoe Goal: Russell |
Blake Austin's late try settled a thrilling seesaw derby as in-form Leeds boosted their Super League play-off hopes by beating Huddersfield.
Rhyse Martin's early score put Rhinos ahead but Giants fought back to lead 8-6 at half-time via tries from Ricky Leutele and Louis Senior.
Leeds regained the lead through Richie Myler before Leroy Cudjoe levelled and Olly Russell kicked Giants in front.
But Chris Hill's sin-binning proved costly as Austin leapt over to win it.
Fifth-placed Leeds need just one win from their final two matches to seal a play-off berth after recording an eighth victory in their past nine games and a seventh straight home triumph to boot.
A fifth successive away defeat for Huddersfield, meanwhile, all but ends their hopes of catching second-placed Wigan and securing a bye to the semi-finals, unless Warriors lose all three of their remaining games.
Leeds led early as a speedy break from the returning David Fusitu'a set up Aidan Sezer to kick to the corner against his former club, with Ash Handley's catch and offload handing Martin an easy try.
Giants were twice denied a swift reply as Hill was held up over the line and Cudjoe's close-range effort was ruled out by the video referee for Toby King's fingertip forward.
However, Huddersfield's sustained pressure was eventually rewarded as an overlap allowed Leutele to burrow over out wide.
Leeds were forced to defend deep for much of the half but finally caved in just before the break as Senior cantered over in the corner to put the Giants ahead.
Their lead should have been greater but Russell missed both conversions and also an easier kick at goal after Austin was sin-binned for an off-the-ball shoulder charge.
Leeds regained the lead almost immediately after the break as Myler punished slow Giants reactions from the restart.
A clever spin move from Cudjoe brought Huddersfield level and, although Leeds survived for 10 minutes a man down after Sezer's late hit on Theo Fages, a Russell penalty made it 14-12 to the Giants.
The drama was not over, though. Hill was binned for a dangerous tackle on Myler and Austin's try sent Headingley into raptures before Martin added his 30th straight conversion, six short of the record set by Wakefield's Mason Lino last season.
Leeds: Myler, Fusitu'a, Hardaker, Sutcliffe, Handley, Austin, Sezer; Oledzki, Dwyer, Tetevano, Gannon, Martin, Bentley.
Interchanges: Briscoe, Prior, Leeming, O'Connor.
Sin-bin: Austin (31), Sezer (58).
Huddersfield: Lolohea, Senior, Leutele, King, Cudjoe, Fages, Russell, Yates; Hill, Levi, Wilson, McQueen, Hewitt, Yates.
Interchanges: English, Greenwood, O'Brien, Trout.
Sin-bin: Hill (77), Greenwood (80).
Referee: Jack Smith.