Leeds Rhinos 25-14 Toulouse Olympique: Highlights, player ratings and talking points

Leeds picked up only their second win of the season tonight to open up a three-point gap between them and bottom club Toulouse.

It was important that the club ended a big week which saw the appointment of a new coach in Rohan Smith end with a win and an encouraging one at that. Leeds’ young team delivered with a first Headingley triumph of 2022.

Highlights:

Counter-attacking Toulouse
Toulouse were like a sponge in the first 10. They absorbed wave after wave of Leeds pressure and on their first attack scored. This came after a lovely 40/20 from Tony Gigot whose boot was again essential as he floated a kick out wide for Paul Macron to score.

Dynamic Dwyer
Leeds’ inability to score has been the story of their season and was again in the first half tonight. No side has made fewer passes than the Rhinos so it was unsurprising that they only needed one pass to score twice in the first half such was the dynamic running of Brad Dwyer who created a gap for James Donaldson to score before scooting over himself. He again got over for another try in the second half producing a similar dummy to dive over.

Captain’s knock from Leeming
There’s an argument to be made that Kruise Leeming’s best rugby at Leeds has come in the halves. Again in that position tonight, the Leeds skipper ensured he was very involved in proceedings. Not only was his kicking game accomplished, he came up with two big plays in quick succession to give the Rhinos command over the game. His lovely ball supplied Tom Briscoe’s 149th Super League try before he nailed a smart drop goal to extend the lead to 19-6. Leeming should certainly be commended as well, asides from these two highlights, for again making Jack Sinfield’s life easier at seven. The 17-year-old again did well by doing all the little things right.

Talking Points:

Leeds’ season summed up
The first 15 minutes summed up Leeds’ season to a tee. The Rhinos dominated field position and had a number of extended looks at the Toulouse line. Despite this they conceded first to Paul Macron’s try. From there the game continued to be a battle royale rather than a formula one race. Leeds lost another pivot with Liam Sutcliffe going off and the Rhinos were forced to again find different ways of breaching the Toulouse defence with the more natural ways still not forthcoming. So, it was again a night of blunted swords in attack and wounded soldiers for the Rhinos – their season to a tee. However, tonight was a reminder of the character in this Leeds team especially from the many youngsters who figured. New coach Rohan Smith certainly has something to work with.

Broadbent proves a point
Down the pecking order since the start of the season and denied a place in the side in the last two games despite clear openings at centre, Jack Broadbent made his return to the team tonight as much out of necessity as anything such is Leeds’ injury crisis. However, having moved to fullback following Sutcliffe’s night ending injury, he shone with some dynamic running out the back. Has he done enough to prompt a rethink of his contract situation at Headingley and be a more regular feature in Leeds’ side?

The Hardaker conundrum
The future of Zak Hardaker remains unclear following his release from Wigan. Seemingly set for a return to Yorkshire, the former Man of Steel’s next club is up in the air and many have suggested he could make a cinema script return to Leeds such is their injury crisis at the moment and now Leeds’ need for a back is even more pressing following injuries to Tom Briscoe and Sutcliffe. So, on the back of this could we again see Hardaker in blue and amber?

Player Ratings:

Leeds Rhinos
4 Liam Sutcliffe – N/A
20 Tom Briscoe – 7
28 Max Simpson – 7
23 Jack Braodbent – 8
5 Ash Handley – 8
9 Kruise Leeming – 8
32 Jack Sinfield – 7
8 Mikolaj Oledzki – 7
14 Brad Dwyer – 8
10 Matt Prior – 6
21 Morgan Gannon – 7
12 Rhyse Martin – 7
17 Cameron Smith – 7
Substitutes
19 Bodene Thompson – 7
24 Jarrod O’Connor – 7
25 James Donaldson – 7
27 Muizz Mustapha – 6

Toulouse Olympique
27 Olly Ashall-Bott – 6
5 Paul Macron – 7
20 Ilias Bergal – 6
3 Junior Vaivai – 7
25 Matty Russell – 7
31 Tony Gigot – 7
13 Anthony Marion – 6
8 Romain Navarrette – 6
19 James Cunningham – 6
23 Justin Sangare – 6
30 Maxime Stefani – 7
11 Andrew Dixon – 6
16 Joe Bretherton – 7
Substitutes
10 Harrison Hansen – 6
14 Eloi Pelissier – 6
22 Gadwin Springer – 6
26 Hugo Pezet – 6