In one of the most tightly contested Harry Jepson OBE Trophy matches, Leeds Rhinos were edged out 18-16 by Hunslet RLFC as the Parksiders retained the trophy for another year.
A youth Rhinos side was led by Academy head coach Tony Smith, who named a mostly Academy and Reserves based team along with duo Lewis Hollidge and Sam Webb-Campbell from Halifax Panthers. One of the big inclusions for the game was prop Kieran Hudson, who pulled on the Rhinos colours for the first time as well as played his first competitive minutes since suffering an achilles injury over 13 months ago.
It was an amazing return and one that gives him a chance of featuring against Salford Red Devils in Round One given Leeds’ injury woes in the front row.
Young Leeds Rhinos come up short
Inside the first five minutes, the home side made the breakthrough with Jude Ferreira scoring an early try. The young Rhinos had battled throughout the opening sets but a penalty against Smith’s side helped the Parksiders edge closer to the try line. Half back Jack Mallinson managed to open up an opportunity on the edge as he fired a pass for Ferreira, who beat Oliver Smart and Jacob Rushforth to cross in the corner.
A missed opportunity for Alfie Goddard to score left the home side ruing what could have been as Leeds began to battle and show resolve against their League One opponents. Kieran Hudson, who was in action for the first time in over a year due to injury particularly looked impressive with a handful of strong carries, but the Rhinos lacked the final touches to capitalise on the score board.
After Hunslet had fired another warning shot with a break by Ferreira and Sheils off the back of a promising attack, Leeds finally made the breakthrough with Smart. Camping on their opponents’ try line, a change of forwards for the Rhinos looked to hurt Hunslet down the middle and the subsequent the damage was done out wide as Tuohey, Gilmore and Rushforth used quick hands to put Smart over.
No sooner had they scored once, Leeds were soon leading the match with a second try in as many minutes. An opportunistic play saw Dylan Proud pounce on a loose ball by Hunslet and the winger raced 60 metres to touch down under the posts, and with Kai Taylor-Smith’s conversion, the score moved to 10-4 in favour of the visitors.
The home side wouldn’t lie down and immediately responded when Jordan Syme bulldozed his way over off the back of a promising play from Mallinson. With the score at 10-8 still leaning towards Leeds, the young Rhinos thrived off chances to extend their lead before the break; Taylor-Smith made a break to set up a positive attack on the Hunslet goal line but Hollidge couldn’t find space with his grubber kick through.
As the halftime whistle sounded, those in attendance showed their appreciation for the young Rhinos after a sterling opening 40 minutes, and the start of the second 40 looked as though the visitors hadn’t missed a beat when Harry Taylor forced Jack Render over the sidelines with a great tackle.
Knowing they needed a spark, Hunslet substitute Keenan Dyer-Dixon’s first try of the game got the home side ahead again, before Dan McGrath missed a huge opportunity to add to the lead, only for Dylan Proud to intervene and force the ball out of his hands.
As the half continued, Hunslet kept going for the Rhinos defensive line, but to their credit the younger side took the brunt of the Parksiders’ attacks. In attack though, errors proved to be costly as a mistimed pass from Tayler Stephenson led to Mallinson breaking for Hunslet and then a knock on by Hartley led to Dyer-Dixon getting his second try with an acrobatic finish in the corner.
Heading into the last ten minutes, tensions rose when a Hartley made a break through the Hunslet line but unfortunately held onto the ball for too long and produced a forward pass for Taylor. Smith’s side were still prepared to be opportunistic and Taylor-Smith, who had a fantastic game all round, latched onto his own kick ahead on the fifth tackle to score a superb try and set up an exciting finish with the score at 18-16.
With time running out, a game breaking play saw Taylor-Smith go aerial with a high bomb and as Hunslet allowed it to bounce, it looked as though Harry Taylor was going to score the winner. An awkward bounce proved the deciding factor as the ball came off the centre’s legs and possession was turned over, sealing an 18-16 finish for Hunslet.
