Summary

  • St Helens score after final hooter to win 16-14 at Leeds

  • Saints will travel to League Leaders' Shield winners Hull KR in semi-finals next Saturday

  • First-half tries from Hankinson and McDonnell give Rhinos edge; Lomax replies for Saints

  • Connor kicks penalty for Leeds but Bennison try sets up nervy finale

  • Wright scores with final play of game after hooter to win it for Saints

  • Leeds finished fourth in regular season table, two points above fifth-placed Saints

  • Saints have now won four of the five meetings between the sides this season

Live Reporting

Jay Freeman

  1. Leeds 12-6 St Helens

    Ouch!

    Leeds' Cooper Jenkins puts in a high arm on St Helens' Daryl Clark and there's a short break in play as Clark's seen to.

    I think that's the first real break we've had in play so far.

  2. Leeds 12-6 St Helens

    We're only half an hour into this game.

    Honestly it feels like an hour because so much has happened.

    Great entertainment.

  3. Leeds 12-6 St Helens

    Barry Eaton
    Ex-Leeds assistant coach on BBC Radio Leeds

    Leeds are so hot down their left-hand side and Saints can't handle Lachie Miller, Ash Handley and Chris Hankinson. They are causing all sorts of problems.

    They made an inroad down that left-hand side and then Brodie Croft found McDonnell and he shrugged off a couple of defenders and scored to the right of the posts.

    When Leeds play like that Saints can't handle them.

  4. try

    TRY: Leeds 12-6 St Helens

    James McDonnell, goal Jake Connor

    James McDonnell scores Leeds' second tryRex Features

    In answer to my question - no, the game is back in Leeds' hands.

    James McDonnell shows tremendous speed with his feet to weave his way to the line and frankly, he has no right to be scoring from where he picks up possession. Absolutely sensational stuff from the Leeds second row.

    Jake Connor sends his kick through, in the aftermath.

  5. Leeds 6-6 St Helens

    St Helens are playing havoc with some high balls here and Leeds are struggling to deal with them.

    The latest lofted kick from Jack Welsby is poorly dealt with by Ryan Hall.

    Could that Jonny Lomax try have tipped this game back in Saints' favour?

  6. Leeds 6-6 St Helens

    Robbie Hunter-Paul
    Former New Zealand international on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    That's a lucky try. You can be as world-class as you want. Morgan Knowles will tell you he planned to do that, he was going to tap it onto his right foot, grubber it in-goal and it all worked out to perfection.

    You get good breaks and bad breaks - that's a good break. A lot of the time in play-off rugby league, with two high-quality teams, that's what it comes down to.

  7. try

    TRY: Leeds 6-6 St Helens

    Jonny Lomax, goal Mark Percival

    It's given!

    Here's what happened. There's a high ball from St Helens on the turnover which is well caught by Curtis Sironen.

    He then offloads to Morgan Knowles who spills it but, crucially, manages to kick the ball in front of him before it goes to ground.

    In the chaos that follows as Leeds try to regain possession, Jonny Lomax slides in and grounds the ball for Saints' first try.

    Mark Percival nails the two and it's all square.

  8. TRY REVIEW

    Leeds 6-0 St Helens

    St Helens have got over the line!

    Jonny Lomax dots down and it's been given as a try on-field.

    But we're going upstairs!

  9. Leeds 6-0 St Helens

    Leeds have come alive!

    Chris Hankinson looks to run in at the corner in much the same manner as his first try but before he can get through, he's flung to the ground by no less than four St Helens players.

  10. Leeds 6-0 St Helens

    Robbie Hunter-Paul
    Former New Zealand international on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    It was all St Helens in the opening 10 minutes but the whole momentum swing has gone back in Leeds' direction.

    The difference between the two teams at the moment is synergy - it's people turning up and everybody knowing what their role is.

    The halves are splitting the field perfectly for the Rhinos, everyone is fitting in seamlessly into their positions and they're keeping St Helens on the back foot and keeping the defence guessing.

  11. Leeds 6-0 St Helens

    Oof!

    Jake Connor almost puts in an absolutely sumptuous kick to goal as Leeds chase their second try.

    Jonny Lomax tries to catch it but it rebounds off him and Jon Bennison reacts quickest to down the ball in-goal.

  12. Get Involved

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    Either side can win tonight. Leeds home advantage may tell. Winner to play KR, whose form has dipped recently. Good luck to both teams and let’s see a good contest.

    Ged, Manchester

    My nephew Matthew Hankinson and his new bride Lucy are at the match with family and friends to round off yesterday’s wedding celebrations. Big Saints supporters hoping for a win.

    Siobhan, St Helens

    Congratulations to Matthew and Lucy!

  13. Leeds 6-0 St Helens

    Lachie Miller weaves his way through a succession of St Helens players are he looks to work some magic on the last tackle but it's not to be.

    Saints veteran Jonny Lomax regains the ball but he's downed inside his own 10.

    Soon after, Tristan Sailor sends a wayward forward pass and jeers go up around Headingley.

  14. Leeds 6-0 St Helens

    Some high flying kicks on the turnover at either end going on in the aftermath of that Chris Hankinson try.

    Both sides finding it difficult to get out of their own halves.

  15. Leeds 6-0 St Helens

    Alan Hunte
    Ex-Great Britain winger on BBC Radio Merseyside

    This spell of possession from the Rhinos was the first opportunity they've had inside Saints' half.

    Saints were always on the back foot.

    Hankinson made a boo-boo two or three minutes earlier but has more than come back from that.

  16. try

    TRY: Leeds 6-0 St Helens

    Chris Hankinson, goal Jake Connor

    Chris Hankinson scores for LeedsSWPix.com

    That's one way to make up for an error-prone opening 10 minutes!

    Chris Hankinson gets on the end of a succession of lateral passes which tears the St Helens defence open as he crosses at the corner.

    You can see the relief on his face as he celebrates.

    Man of Steel nominee Jake Connor swings his kick over and Leeds have a six-point lead.

  17. Leeds 0-0 St Helens

    From James McDonnell regaining possession, Leeds swiftly break into the St Helens half.

    They work it wide to Ryan Hall who gallops to the corner but it's not to be as Saints deal with the danger.

  18. Leeds 0-0 St Helens

    Jack Welsby tries to kick and chase towards goal with three tackles left and James McDonnell regains the ball for Leeds.

    But does it?

    Replays show he appears to knock on and doesn't cleanly take the ball.

    A let off for the hosts.

  19. Leeds 0-0 St Helens

    Barry Eaton
    Ex-Leeds assistant coach on BBC Radio Leeds

    It wasn't the best kick from Jonny Lomax but Chris Hankinson got nowhere near it.

    It's given Saints a really good attacking set 10m from the Leeds line. They need to be resolute here.

  20. Leeds 0-0 St Helens

    Chris Hankinson's having a pretty difficult game right now.

    The Leeds winger cheaply knocks on as he spills a high ball.

    St Helens are ready to pounce just over the 10-metre mark.