Jake Connor made a splash on his first Leeds Rhinos outing as he scored a brace of tries in Leeds Rhinos’ Boxing Day win over Wakefield Trinity. Teenager George Brown was the man that scored the match winner for the Rhinos but it was Connor who stood out in the traditional friendly at Headingley, helping Brad Arthur’s side to an 18-16 win.
Leeds led 12-0 at the break, but Trinity hit back to go four points ahead with seven minutes left, only for a try by Brown – an academy half-back who wasn’t on the teamsheet – and conversion from Jack Sinfield to snatch it moments later. It was a thoroughly entertaining clash from which both sides could take positives.
Most of Rhinos’ subs didn’t warm up before the game, saving their pre-match routine for half-time. Other than the front-row and loose-forward, Leeds coach Brad Arthur used his strongest-available side in the opening period and made numerous changes after the break.
Rhinos fielded what was effectively an academy side in the final quarter, with Harley Thomas and Marcus Qareqare also making an unexpected appearance.
Wakefield had numerous young or fringe players on duty, particularly late on and their coach Daryl Powell could be heartened by their defensive effort and the way they took their limited chances.
Connor opened his and Rhinos’ account by dipping his shoulder and cutting through from Matt Frawley’s pass, after back-to-back drop-outs, in the eighth minute. On 15 he struck again with some excellent footwork after Trinity’s Isaiah Vagana had knocked on in his own half.
The full-back added both conversions and that was it for first half scoring, though Leeds applied some heavy pressure. Their best other chance came just before the interval when Harry Newman picked up a kick near Rhinos’ line and supplied Frawley whose long pass sent Maika Sivo charging away.
The Fijian winger, playing on the left, went 70 metres before opting to pass to his centre Ash Handley, who was tackled by Josh Rourke. That came off Trinity’s only set in Leeds’ 20.
They didn’t need a play-the-ball in Rhinos’ half to break their duck seven minutes into the second half. Joe Diskin – a half-time substitute, playing at full-back – dropped Connor’s pass and Noah Booth picked up and raced over from 80 metres for a try which Olly Russell improved. Booth almost scored again in the next set, but Cam Scott’s pass was forward.
Trinity levelled with 17 minutes left through new signing Seth Nikotemo, the former Gold Coast Titans man going over from first-receiver and Russell adding on the extras.
Dom Sinfield dived over at the corner to edge Trinity ahead with seven minutes left, but the kick-off bounced away from Rowan Stephenson to Brown and he powered over to level the scores. Jack Sinfield landed the conversion to win it for Rhinos.
Leeds Rhinos: Connor, Sivo, Newman, Handley, R Hall, B Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, C Smith. Subs O’Connor, Lisone, J Smith, Jenkins, J Sinfield, Nicholson-Watton, Lumb, Diskin, Warren, Cassell, Stead, Holroyd, Qareqare, Thomas.
Wakefield Trinity: Rourke, Pratt, Scott, C Hall, Walmsley, Trueman, O Russell, Hamlin-Uele, H Smith, Rodwell, Nikotemo, Vagana, Cozza, Stephenson, Lingard, D Sinfield, Staveley-Carr, McSwiney, Delaney, Lino, Bain, J Croft, Walker-Smith, Shaw, Booth.
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