Catalans Dragons have been main 22-8 at half-time at Headingley as they appeared set to assert one other victory; second half tries for Richie Myler, Jarrod O’Connor, Derrell Olpherts, Tom Holroyd and Harry Newman safe the factors and a 32-22 win for the house group
Final Up to date: 25/03/23 3:36pm
Derrell Olpherts celebrates his late strive as Leeds fought again in opposition to the Dragons
Harry Newman sealed a stirring second-half fightback as Leeds Rhinos handed Catalans Dragons their first defeat of the Betfred Tremendous League season in a pulsating encounter at Headingley.
Newman’s Seventy fifth-minute strive, after Richie Myler’s burst over the midway line, accomplished a 32-22 win that was normal in unbelievable circumstances after Newman had been despatched to the sin-bin early within the second half.
With the Rhinos trailing by 14 factors on the time, there have been lengthy odds on Rohan Smith’s males wresting something from a recreation wherein that they had usually proved to be their very own worst enemy within the opening interval.
However as a substitute it galvanised them into launching a shocking revival with Myler and Jarrod O’Connor each touching down throughout Catalans’ power-play earlier than additional tries from Derrell Olpherts, Tom Holroyd and eventually Newman himself sealed the win.
Story of the sport
Newman had scored the Rhinos’ opening strive on 5 minutes, made by an excellent looping go from Blake Austin, after Tom Davies’ acrobatic dive into the nook gave Catalans the lead.
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Rhyse Martin, revelling in his unfamiliar position at centre, beat Arthur Mourgue to his personal kick to place the Rhinos in entrance, then each Nene Macdonald and Newman once more got here shut because the hosts pressed.
It threatened to mark the turning level as Adam Keighran discovered it too straightforward to skip over for Catalans’ second on 24 minutes, earlier than Mitchell Pearce, making his first look of the season, burrowed simply over to increase the French facet’s lead.
Rhinos followers vented their spleen over big-screen replays that didn’t conclusively present that Pearce had reached the road, and their temper didn’t enhance when Zane Tetevano’s obvious landing was denied by a marginal ahead go from Myler.
Leeds placed on a robust present within the second 40 as Aidan Sezer crossed the whitewash
5 minutes from the break, the in any other case spectacular Martin was punished for a ridiculous offload try as he was pushed backwards over the strive line, Manu Ma’u pawing the unfastened ball to Paul Seguier who stretched Catalans’ lead.
It took Newman’s yellow card to stir the hosts, Myler skipping by and O’Connor bustling over from dummy half, earlier than Leeds additional decreased the deficit when Martin’s opportunistic steal despatched Austin galloping away and Olpherts went over within the nook.
Harry Newman was in tremendous kind within the second half after his sin-binning
Solely Martin’s peculiar failing with the boot – he missed his first 5 conversions – left Leeds nonetheless trailing, however not for lengthy as an Austin 40/20 resulted in Holroyd discovering a spot on 67 minutes to place his facet in entrance.
Aidan Sezer, relieving Martin of kicking duties, made it 26-22, and Newman’s second strive made sure for Leeds, earlier than Martin was given the prospect to lastly kick a profitable conversion on the sixth try.
What’s subsequent?
Leeds Rhinos are again in motion on Friday March 31 as they pay a go to to Hull KR, stay on Sky Sports activities Enviornment with kick-off at 8pm. Catalans Dragons are again at residence on Saturday April 1 as they welcome the Castleford Tigers, with kick-off at 5pm.