Rhinos back level
Leeds have gone back level with St Helens at the top of the Super League table after scoring a 37-24 win at Catalans Dragons.
Last Updated: 20/07/08 11:46am
Leeds have gone back level with St Helens at the top of the Super League table after scoring a 37-24 win at third-placed Catalans Dragons - the French side's first home defeat since March 8th.
Behind at the break, Brian McClennan's side produced a tremendous fightback spearheaded by Ali Lauitiiti, with a magnificent try from Scott Donald capping a similar display.
Leeds opened the scoring thanks to a try from Lee Smith, with Kevin Sinfield kicking the extras.
The Dragons then began to show why they had been unbeaten in seven games as halves Casey McGuire and Thomas Bosc dovetailed seamlessly with back rowers Jason Croker and Gregory Mounis.
After Ryan Hall had knocked on around his own 20, Catalans pounced from the scrum, with Bosc and Clint Greenshields proceeding to send Cyril Stacul in at the corner.
A superb touchline conversion from Bosc saw the home side draw level in the seventh minute.
Les Catalans went further ahead in the 13th minute, Hall again being exposed when McGuire's bomb eluded him, with Olivier Elima collecting to scamper over for another Bosc-converted try.
With the home defence dominating and replacement Remi Casty responsible for a series of breaks, the Dragons extended their lead in the 25th minute.
After receiving a pass from Bosc, Sebastien Raguin powered over out wide, with the former then converting once more in fine style.
The Rhinos nevertheless cut the gap to 18-10 before half-time, with Raguin misjudging Danny McGuire's kick to the wing and Hall pouncing to score.
Perfect start
Leeds made the perfect start to the second half as Rob Burrow found a gap through which to score, with Sinfield converting.
But Hall knocked on again after Les Catalans failed to find touch from a penalty and, with Elima powering through to the posts for his second try, Bosc's conversion made it 24-16.
Elima then turned from hero to villain in the 53rd minute when he lost the ball on halfway, with Burrow finding space from the scrum to send McGuire over.
The Rhinos then took the lead for the first time when Sinfield's inside ball freed Lauitiiti to score, with Sinfield converting to make the score 24-26.
Donald's fine effort came with six minutes left, an innocuous kick on the last tackle from Julien Touxagas finding him in space before he ran some 70 metres - evading three
tacklers - for the try of the game.
Sinfield's third missed conversion kept the match alive but his drop goal three minutes later sealed it.
And, in the closing minute, Hall atoned for his early errors with his second touchdown.