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Leeds Rhinos overpower Wigan Warriors as Ash Handley marks testimonial in fitting fashion

Leeds Rhinos

Leeds Rhinos turned in an encouraging showing at Headingley as they beat Wigan Warriors 22-4. The Rhinos scored four tries in tricky conditions as they overpowered last year’s quadruple winners in front of a crowd of 5,055, who attended to celebrate Ash Handley’s testimonial.

Handley was given a very warm reception before the game by those in attendance at Headingley and with four minutes on the clock, he was giving them something to cheer about. Curving his run to get on the end of a teasing Jake Connor grubber, the co-captain collected the ball well and touched down unopposed.

It was a fitting moment for the testimonial man and one that he will cherish for a very long time. However, just a few minutes later Leeds’ other co-captain Cam Smith scored, hitting a short pass at pace to make the most of some soft goal line defence.

Wigan hit back just before the break as Zach Eckersley touched down following some quick thinking and a tidy basketball pass from Liam Farrell. And, Leeds received another blow in the build up to that try as new signing Maika Sivo picked up what looked to be a nasty injury, forcing him off the field.

Jake Connor was bossing things in the blue and amber of his new club and he would have marked the performance with a try if not for the work of Jack Farrimond to get back and deny the full-back a try. But, Ryan Hall got himself over in the second half as he finished off a defence deceiving cut out pass from Connor.

Harry Newman extended the Rhinos’ lead with 15 minutes to play as he made the most of a Jacob Douglas error to touch down. Both sides made changes but Wigan spent much of the second half with a very young line-up on the field and Matt Peet will take huge amounts of encouragement from the way they held their own for large periods.

Ultimately, though, it was Leeds’ day as they head into the season on the back of a strong showing.

Leeds Rhinos: Jake Connor; Maika Sivo, Harry Newman, Ash Handley, Ryan Hall; Brodie Croft, Matt Frawley; Mikolaj Oledzki, Andy Ackers, Keenan Palasia; James Bentley, Morgan Gannon, Cameron Smith.

Bench: James McDonnell, Sam Lisone, Jack Smith, Cooper Jenkins, Jack Sinfield, Tom Nicholson-Watton, Riley Lumb, Joe Diskin, Toby Warren, George Brown, Harley Thomas, Tom Holroyd,

Wigan Warriors: Jai Field; Zach Eckersley, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith; Tyler Dupree, Kruise Leeming, Luke Thompson; Junior Nsemba, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis.

Bench: Patrick Mago, Liam Byrne, Harvie Hill, Sam Walters, Tom Forber, Jack Farrimond, Jacob Douglas, Harvey Makin, Taylor Kerr, Noah Hodkinson, George Hirst, Josh Cartwright, Finley Yeomans.

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