The side which no coach wanted to face in round twenty-two, a buoyant Leeds Rhinos under the coaching of Brad Arthur who took the scalp of the Champions last weekend, became the task of Sam Burgess and his high-flying Warrington Wolves as they continue their quest for a top two finish and a home tie in the playoffs.
The two points could lift the Wolves into second, should the winning margin be large enough, but if the Leeds Rhinos were to make it back-to-back victories, then they would get themselves within two points of a play-off place and a shot at Old Trafford in five rounds time.
Warrington were slight favourites with the bookies, the Rhinos given a six-point start by the handicappers, but Burgess was sending his troops into battle with no illusions that this would be a simple victory.
Leeds were caught offside at the scrum on nine minutes, Warrington electing to take the kick and Josh Thewlis hit the mark for a two point advantage.
Great defensive work from Josh Thewlis prevented Ash Handley from scoring a try after he took a high bomb as was tackled by the Warrington full-back and held up in goal on twenty-three minutes. There was very little between the two sides, the Rhinos probably enjoying the lion share of the ball.
The quality of defences on show was top class, the attacking flair of both teams being stifled.
Three minutes from the break a superb tackle by Rodrick Tai dislodged the ball from Lachlan Miller and the loose ball was picked up by George Williams who went through a gap and ran fifty metres to score by the right hand upright. Thewlis added the conversion to give his side an 8-0 interval lead, but Warrington far from in full control.
Nine minutes into the second half Matty Ashton was taken out without the ball by David Fusitu’a as both players chased down a kick, the referee turning down calls for a penalty try but sinbinning the Leeds man for ten minutes. From the resulting penalty Matt Dufty went through the Leeds line for the second Wolves try. Thewlis hit the near post with the conversion, the Wolves with a twelve-point lead.
On fifty-five a rolling move downfield saw Dufty in for his second try in five minutes as the Rhinos defence was stretched too thin by a brilliant Dany Walker break. Thewlis hit the mark for the third time on the night, the Wolves lead now eighteen points.
Repeated sets for the Rhinos on the Wolves line didn’t pay for Leeds as they handed back possession after a forward pass with tackles in the bank.
Tai was sinbinned for a late tackle on Sam Lisone and the Leeds man followed him into the bin for the retaliation. Both sides down to twelve on sixty-four.
On seventy-one the Rhinos avoided the nilling as Paul Momirovski raced after a Rhyse Martin kick to goal to collect and ground as he slid over. Martin added the conversion for a twelve-point gap with eight minutes remaining.
A hat-trick Dufty try on seventy-eight dispelled any doubt that the Wolves supporters might have had as the Rhinos defence failed to get back and cover some fast and expansive play from the primrose and blue, the full back going through a gap and diving over just in from the left touchline. Thewlis added the conversion for a final score of 24-6.
The Wolves move level of points with Hull KR in second place in the table and keep alive their hopes of a top two finish should either of the sides above them slip up. Great defence in the opening twenty took the steam out of the Rhinos and a superb tackle from Tai just before the break, which led to the opening Wolves try, turned the game. Leeds season moves a step closer to being over as they are still four points adrift of the play-off spots with the number of games running out and a tough set of remaining fixtures.
Warrington Wolves: Dufty (3T), Thewlis (4/5 G), Tai (SB on 64), King, Ashton, Williams (T), Drinkwater, Vaughan, Powell, Yates, Bateman, Nicholson, Currie. Subs: Musgrove, Harrison, Walker, Crowther. 18th Man: Holroyd.
Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Fusitu’a (SB on 49), Momirovski (T), Newman, Handley, Sinfield, Frawley, Lisone (SB on 64), Ackers, Sangare, McDonnell, Martin (1/1 G), Smith. Subs: Bentley, Donaldson, Nicholson-Watton, O’Connor. 18th Man: Goudemand.
Half-Time: 8-0.
Full-Time: 24-6.
Score Progression: 2-0, 6-0, 8-0 : HT: (SB), 12-0, 16-0, 18-0, (SB), (SB), 18-4, 18-6, 22-6, 24-6 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Warrington.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
