Rhinos defeat
valiant Toulouse

Official Challenge Cup Semi Final Report - Sunday 31st July 2005. Full time: Leeds Rhinos 56 Toulouse 18

Rhinos defeat valiant Toulouse

Double-chasing Leeds Rhinos overcame an heroic display by French part-timers Toulouse to set up an all-Yorkshire Powergen Challenge Cup final at the Millennium Stadium with a 56-18 win.

Rob Burrow contributed 20 points as the Rhinos ran in 10 tries in an ultimately one-sided second semi-final at Huddersfield?s Galpharm Stadium to earn the right to meet Hull in Cardiff on August 27.

But the French outfit were no push-overs and played their part in a thoroughly entertaining duel in the sunshine. They also had the man of the match in burly second rower Sebastien Raguin.

Toulouse, shock winners over Widnes in the last round, threatened to pull off an even bigger upset when they led 4-0 and 10-6 and, astonishingly, were still in touch by half-time when they trailed only 22-18.

The 100 French fans among the 10,553 crowd had plenty to cheer, thanks largely to some magnificent orchestrating by experienced Australian half-backs James Wynne and Dave Mulhall before the extra class and professionalism of the engage Super League champions began to tell.

Leeds made the worst possible start when second rower Ali Lauitiiti was tackled into touch from the kick-off and there were just 72 seconds on the clock when hooker Cedric Gay and captain Wynne combined to get loose forward Adrien Viala over for the game?s first try.

Damien Couturier shaved the outside of the post with his conversion attempt and the Rhinos hit back almost immediately when right winger Mark Calderwood palmed back a hoisted kick by Richie Mathers for second rower Chris McKenna to cross.

However, a series of handling errors gave the Frenchmen perfect field position and they twice forced the Super League side to drop out from their own goal-line in the first quarter.

The pressure told when the wily Wynne stretched out of a two-man tackle by Mathers and Lauitiiti to score Toulouse?s second try and this time Couturier added the goal.

Leeds loose forward Gareth Ellis showed how easy it could be to score when he scythed through the visitors defence on 17 minutes and Burrow?s second difficult conversion gave his side the lead for the second time.

It was all square on 28 minutes when Great Britain prop Ryan Bailey was pulled up for a foul and Couturier kicked the resultant penalty, but the Rhinos appeared to be in control when hooker Matt Diskin carved out tries for Danny McGuire and Lauitiiti in the space of four minutes to put them 22-12 in front.

But, instead of wilting, Toulouse came back even stronger and Mulhall and Wynne combined to the highly impressive Raguin romping into a gap and he produced a delightful sidestep to beat Mathers and touch down for his side?s third try.

Couturier?s third goal from four attempts closed the gap to just four points by half-time and it could have been even better for Toulouse had substitute Vincent Almuzara made better use of clean breaks either side of the interval.

Instead, Leeds found their cutting edge, with both wingmen, Calderwood and Marcus Bai, scoring within 10 minutes of the re-start.

They also managed to retain their concentration long enough to run in long-range tries through half-backs Burrow and McGuire while centre Chev Walker and Willie Poching also got in on the act with late touchdowns.

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

Toulouse: Murphy, Lima, Couturier, F. Estebanez, Janzac, Mulholland, J. Wynne, Faure, Gay, Gallagher, Delpoux, Raguin, Viala. Replacements: Prizzon, Vincent, Frayssinet, Almuzara.

Leeds: (22) 56 Tries: McKenna, Ellis, McGuire (2), Lauitiiti, Bai, Calderwood, Burrow, Walker, Poching Goals: Burrow (8)

Toulouse: (18) 18 Tries: Viala, Wynne, Raguin Goals: Couturier (3)

Referee: Richard Silverwood (Dewsbury)

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