WARRINGTON WOLVES 6 LEEDS RHINOS 34
PHIL CAPLAN, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Thursday

LEEDS went top with a sensational win over a lacklustre Warrington.

Officially into the second half of the season, the two frontrunners – who produced one of the games of the season in round six – played out a very different scenario this time around.

Leeds won a nailbiter 26-22 back then, but they were far too good for the Wolves eight rounds later, with the Rhinos running in six tries, three to Maika Sivo to take his tally to 25.

Both sides made only one change, Warrington included Aaron Lindop at centre – back after a year out – replacing luckless Zack Gardner, while Rhinos, as expected, brought Lachie Miller back after a three-game suspension, and swapped their starting hookers.

In perfect conditions, the game started with defensive intensity but with both sides keen to move the ball.

Leeds made two early errors with Danny Levi losing the ball and Chris Hankinson kicking out on the full.

As such, it was Warrington that took the lead, Ewan Irwin kicking a penalty after Hankinson had hit Josh Thewlis on suspicion.

Leon Hayes then punished the Rhinos further with a terrific 40/20 only for Brodie Croft to snaffle the ball.

But back came Leeds. Miller, Jake Connor and Ash Handley looked to have put a stepping Sivo over in the corner only for James Bentley – on his 200th career appearance – to make a brilliant cover tackle to push him into touch.

The Rhinos weren’t to be denied moments later, however, as they posted three tries in a blistering nine minutes with Handley the architect of the first two.

Miller first poked the ball through and, though it wouldn’t sit down for the Leeds skipper, he pushed it back for Sivo to gather and dot down.

Handley got outside Josh Smith on the next set and with Sivo on his outside, found Croft on a brilliant diagonal line on his inside, delivering the perfect pass.

Connor put the ball out on the full but the Rhinos defended the error resolutely, before the halfback kicked high for Newman to read and leap for above Josh Thewlis to twist his way over.

The second-half started in a similar hammer-and-tongs fashion, Leeds looking to offload at every opportunity.

And it was that passing game that unlucked the Warrington defence once more, Miller sending out a magnificent pass to put Hankinson into a hole.

Connor goaled from out wide and then landed a penalty after Miller had been blocked off from a chip over in midfield.

The Rhinos kept coming as Connor sent Handley into space but Hankinson was caught and then Handley himself couldn’t quite gather in a Connor kick.

Connor was not to be denied another assist, however, and his sublime long pass sent Sivo powering into the corner over.

The powerhouse winger completed his hat-trick two minutes later, Miller with the long ball and Sivo getting on the outside Albert Hopoate.

Hopoate gained some solace preventing Sivo going in for his fourth soon after as the Wolves were run ragged.

The hosts did manage to post a consolation score late on, Thewlis combining with Matty Ashton for the latter to dot down in the corner.

GAMEBREAKER: Chris Hankinson’s try from a lovely Lachie Miller pass at the start of the second-half meant that it would be a mirror of the first.

GAMESTAR: Lachie Miller was here, there and everywhere.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Harry Newman’s sensational chase, catch and power over from Jake Connor’s huge kick for his try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts – Lachie Miller (Leeds)
2 pts – Ash Handley (Leeds)
1 pt – Jake Connor (Leeds)

WOLVES
2 Josh Thewlis
4 Albert Hopoate
26 Josh Smith
23 Arron Lindop
5 Matty Ashton
18 Ewan Irwin
19 Leon Hayes
21 Luke Thomas
9 Danny Walker
16 Liam Byrne
10 James Harrison
20 James Bentley
13 Ben Currie (C)
Subs (all used)
14 Sam Powell
15 Toafofoa Sipley
17 Jordan Crowther
34 Kelepi Tanginoa
18th man (not used)
35 Lachlan Webster
Also in 21-man squad
1 Cai Taylor-Wray
7 Marc Sneyd
11 Adam Holroyd

Tries: Ashton (73)
Goals: Irwin 1/2

RHINOS
1 Lachie Miller
5 Ryan Hall
3 Harry Newman
4 Ash Handley (C)
2 Maika Sivo
6 Brodie Croft
7 Jake Connor
8 Mikolaj Oledzki
23 Danny Levi
13 Keenan Palasia
14 Chris Hankinson
12 James McDonnell
11 Kallum Watkins
Subs (all used)
9 Jarrod O’Connor
15 Cooper Jenkins
17 Cameron Smith
20 Presley Cassell
18th man (not used)
26 Tom Nicholson-Watton
Also in 21-man squad
10 Tom Holroyd
28 Fergie McCormack
33 Jack Bird

Tries: Sivo (20, 55, 57), Croft (22), Newman (29), Hankinson (43)
Goals: Connor 5/7

SCORING SEQUENCE: 2-0, 2-6, 2-10, 2-16; 2-22, 2-24, 2-28, 2-34, 6-34

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Wolves: James Bentley; Rhinos: Lachie Miller

Penalty count: 3-5
Half time: 2-16
Referee: Liam Moore
Attendance: 10,083