LEEDS RHINOS managed to overcome an unbeaten Catalans Dragons side in a four-card affair with Rohan Smith’s men running out 18-10 winners.
The opening exchanges were feisty and fiery as Tariq Sims and James Bentley almost came to blows with neither side able to press home any advantage.
But finally the deadlock was broken on 26 minutes as Ash Handley chased a Brodie Croft grubber through. Handley had been impeded by Catalans winger Fouad Yaha in the build-up but still managed to ground the ball. Rhyse Martin, however, was wayward with the conversion as Leeds led 4-0.
You wait for almost half an hour for tries and you get two in two minutes, this time Harry Newman crossing after deliberation from the video referee. Martin couldn’t convert that one, but an eight-point try was awarded after Sims fouled Newman in the act of scoring so Martin was able to take another shot in front of goal. That one sailed between the sticks to make it 10-0.
Arthur Mourgue slotted over a penalty when Andy Ackers hit Chris Satae high as the Rhinos held a 10-2 half-time lead.
And the Dragons reduced that deficit to just two six minutes into the second-half when Chris Satae barged over. Mourgue converted to make it 10-8.
Things went from bad to worse for Leeds with Justin Sangare being sent to the sinbin for a high tackle. Mourgue converted the penalty to level the scores at 10-10.
But Matt Ikuvalu dropped the resulting kick-off and Catalans were cut down to 12 men once more with the hour approaching as Jordan Dezaria was sinbinned for his own high tackle offence.
It was Handley at the double moments later with Cameron Smith throwing out an audacious long ball for the winger to cross on 66 minutes. Martin converted to make it 16-10.
And Martin was on target with five minutes to go after Romain Navarrete was sinbinned for a professional foul.
Leeds Rhinos
1 Lachlan Miller
24 Luis Roberts
3 Harry Newman
4 Paul Momirovski
5 Ash Handley
6 Brodie Croft
7 Matt Frawley
17 Justin Sangare
9 Andy Ackers
18 Mickael Goudemand
11 James Bentley
12 Rhyse Martin
13 Cameron Smith
Substitutes
10 Tom Holroyd
14 Jarrod O’Connor
16 James McDonnell
23 Leon Ruan
Tries: Handley (26, 66), Newman (28)
Goals: Martin 3/5
Sinbin: Sangare (52) – high tackle
Catalans Dragons
1 Arthur Mourgue
24 Tom Johnstone
3 Arthur Romano
21 Matt Ikuvalu
5 Fouad Yaha
27 Jordan Abdull
7 Theo Fages
16 Romain Navarrete
14 Alrix Da Costa
8 Mike McMeeken
11 Tariq Sims
15 Bayley Sironen
13 Benjamin Garcia
Substitutes
6 Jayden Nikorima
10 Julian Bousquet
20 Chris Satae
23 Jordan Dezaria
Tries: Satae (46)
Goals: Mourgue 3/3
Sinbin: Sims (30) – high tackle, Dezaria (58) – high tackle, Navarrate (75) – professional foul
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