Super League: St Helens 24-25 Leeds Rhinos - Blake Austin drop-goal seals shock win
- Published
Blake Austin's drop-goal was the deciding moment for Leeds in a thrilling finish at St Helens
Betfred Super League |
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St Helens (18) 24 |
Tries: Lussick, Dodd 2, Percival Goals: Makinson 4 |
Leeds (12) 25 |
Tries: Handley, Martin 2, Smith Goals: Martin 4 Drop-goal: Austin |
Leeds Rhinos picked up their first win of the Super League season thanks to a late drop-goal winner from Blake Austin at champions St Helens, who had Konrad Hurrell sent off for a shoulder charge.
In a see-sawing game, it looked as though Saints were on course for a 13th straight win over Leeds when they led 24-18 inside the last quarter.
But Rhyse Martin's converted score levelled it up with 10 minutes left.
Austin bided his time for the drop-goal chance he took with seconds to spare.
The finish was a thrilling one but was played out in controversial circumstances, as Leeds were given a penalty for Saints' reactions to what looked like a shoulder charge from Sam Walters on Matty Lees, which went unpunished.
There was still a sense of injustice lingering from the home support as Hurrell made contact with Richie Myler's head with his shoulder as Myler passed the ball, and referee Chris Kendall brandished a red card.
Rohan Smith's Leeds had to show plenty of character of their own, belying a clunky start to the season with a committed performance against the team that beat them in last season's Grand Final.
The visitors took the lead with a storming try from Ash Handley on the back of Nene McDonald's run, and despite losing the lead, fought back to level thanks to Rhyse Martin's clever take from a Aidan Sezer kick.
There was another fightback to come when Cameron Smith shuttled through to score his second try in as many games and Martin's second brought them level.
Saints had made history with their World Club Challenge win over Penrith in Australia a fortnight ago and then backed that up at Castleford on Sunday to make a winning start to their Super League title defence.
However, against the Rhinos their energy levels were tested towards the end, particularly having played two chunks of 10 minutes without key back-rowers, and dug deep to wrest control of the game from their opponents.
After conceding the opening try, Joey Lussick took advantage with a typical dummy-half sneak, while Lewis Dodd's two tries saw him dazzle with footwork and then collect a gift from a loose pass.
Mark Percival's score in the second half came from a superb Jack Welsby kick in behind, but it was not enough in the end as Saints were overcome late on.
St Helens boss Paul Wellens:
"I think certain aspects of our game weren't there tonight. In periods we lacked some concentration and in the late period we lacked some discipline and composure, which is unlike us in big games.
"We've got to keep our cool in those types of moments and we didn't quite do that tonight. It's a valuable lesson that we need to learn because we make ourselves easier to beat when we're in that frame of mind.
"We didn't get the rub of the green in certain situations but that's completely out of our hands now and all we can do is move forward as a team and try to improve off the back of this. There is a great learning opportunity here if we are prepared to take it."
Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith told BBC Radio Leeds:
"It was a great game. I thought the game had a lot in it, ups and downs and ebb and flow and momentum shifts.
"We thought we played the right way, we played with intent, to move the ball and create opportunities from our own end.
"We also competed on par with the team that has led the league on competing for a period of time, we matched them on that which was pleasing.
"It's a tough gig that they've had to endure, going to Australia and represent the competition so well, to come back and play at Cas and then back it up, is a tough ask. But I thought we did enough to win and at no stage did I think we'd lose."
On the incident involving Sam Walters and subsequent penalty to Leeds:
"I'm told clubs were warned last year that if players ran in to escalate a situation that action would be taken.
"Sometimes that happens and tonight was one of those."
St Helens: Welsby; Makinson, Hurrell, Percival, Bennison; Lomax, Dodd; Walmsley, Lussick, Lees, Mata'utia, Sironen, Knowles.
Interchanges: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Wingfield, Bell, Royle.
Leeds: Myler; Fusitu'a, MacDonald, Handley, Olpherts; Austin, Sezer; Holroyd, O'Connor, Tevevano, McDonnell, Martin, Smith.
Interchanges: Sangare, Donaldson, Walters, Leeming.
Referee: Chris Kendall