Leeds roar back to top

Official English Super League Round 22 game report - Saturday 23 July 2005. Full time: Warrington Wolves 22 Leeds Rhinos 46.

Leeds roar back to top

Leeds roared back to the top of the engage Super League with an awesome display which condemned third-placed Warrington to their first home defeat for four months by 46-22.

The Rhinos, who slipped to second place following St Helens?s 27-20 win over Leigh last night, had begun to look vulnerable following their defeat by London in the south of France but they were back to their best with a sparkling eight-try show.

Storming performances from forwards Chris McKenna and Gareth Ellis set the platform for an impressive display, while scrum-half Rob Burrow finished with 18 points with a try and seven goals from eight attempts to take the man of the match award.

Warrington, who climbed from 10th place to third after winning 12 of their last 14 matches, suffered a pre-match blow when utility back Chris Bridge injured an ankle in the warm-up and his place on the bench was taken by young forward Steve Pickersgill.

And they were never seriously in contention against a Leeds side who made light of the absence of captain Kevin Sinfield and key forwards Ryan Bailey and Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

The visitors made the perfect start, with full-back Richie Mathers and Ellis offloading from the tackle to get centre Chev Walker over for his 13th try of the season after only two minutes.

The Wolves pulled two points back with a penalty from Graham Appo after 12 minutes when Leeds were caught offside in front of their own posts and they went in front three minutes later when prop Mark Hilton squeezed out a pass for full-back Brent Grose to touch down, with Appo adding the goal.

But Hilton undid much of his good work when he lost possession deep inside Warrington?s 20-metre area and the lead lasted only five minutes as Rhinos hooker Matt Diskin forced his way over from acting half-back after Walker had been held short.

It was Diskin?s first try since his winner in last October?s Grand Final and deserved reward for his patience during a seven-month injury lay-off.

It got better for the champions when a superb handling move created an overlap for Walker to go over for his second try and Burrow kicked his third conversion.

But the home side hit back just before the break when they piled on the pressure by twice running penalties in kickable positions and second-rower Logan Swann crossed at the corner for his side?s second try.

It was merely a hiccup, however, as Leeds began to take control, thanks largely to a dominant pack in which Ali Lauitiiti came into his own in the second half.

The big Kiwi international made the running for the Rhinos? fourth try, creating the space for Burrow to scoot over without a hand laid on him.

Burrow, who had only minutes earlier pulled off a trysaving tackle on Appo, had threatened throughout to destroy the Wolves with his electrifying pace and he was involved once more when acting captain Keith Senior finished off a break by Danny McGuire for his side?s fifth try on the hour.

That served to spur the Wolves into producing their best spell of the match and their enterprise brought two tries for winger Henry Fa?afili, taking his tally for the season to 20.

But any hope of a comeback was extinguished by left winger Marcus Bai, who collected Swann?s chip over the defence and went 90 metres for a spectacular solo try.

Right winger Mark Calderwood also got in on the act, taking Chris McKenna to register his 98th try for the club, while Bai grabbed his second try in injury-time after racing onto a kick from Mathers.

Warrington: Grose, Fa'afili, M. Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Appo, Briers, N. Wood, Leikvoll, M. Gleeson, Hilton, Swann, Westwood, Clarke. Replacements: Bridge, Noone, P. Wood, Lima.

Leeds: Mathers, Calderwood, Walker, Senior, Bai, McGuire, Burrow, Ward, Diskin, McDermott, Lauitiiti, McKenna, Ellis. Replacements: Poching, Dunemann, Scruton, Cummins.

Warrington (12) 22. Tries: Grose, Swann, Fa'afili 2. Goals: Appo 3.

Leeds (18) 46. Tries: Walker 2, Diskin, Burrow, Senior, Bai 2, Calderwood. Goals: Burrow 7.

Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens)

Att: 11,036

Thanks to www.superleague.co.uk for the above review