Leigh Leopards are going to Wembley after they defeated St Helens in one of the greatest Challenge Cup semi-finals you will ever see at Warrington Wolves’ Halliwell Jones Stadium as they battled back from a difficult first half to claim a famous win as they punished Tommy Makinson’s missed goal kicks.
Highlights:
Lussick’s farewell moment
Set to join Parramatta Eels next week, the man standing in for James Roby as the starting hooker showed his quality with the opening try burrowing over under the sticks for a simple try to give Saints the lead.
Lussick nails the best kick you will ever see
Lussick was truly excelling as he boomed a kick down field from his own 20 metres to the Leigh 10 metres for a brilliant 40/20.
Try saver Charnley
So many times we have seen Tommy Makinson dive in at the corner for St Helens and he looked set to do so again until Super League’s leading try scorer Josh Charnley got his hand to the ball forcing it loose.
Makinson miss
Just like you can normally trust Makinson to score in the corner, you can trust him to nail a penalty like this but he squandered a chance to make it 8-0.
Holmes hits back
Oliver Holmes scored a brilliant try in the 2014 decider and filling in at the backrow with Ed Chamberlain forced to replace Ricky Leutele at centre, he struck a crucial blow hitting a terrific line to carve through and score.
Hardaker gives Leigh the lead
Leigh were up against it in the first half but in the second half they stormed out of the blocks to make it 10-6 with Hardaker touching down in the corner in what was a game of inches.
Yellow for Mata’utia
A late hit from Sione Mata’utia on Ben Reynolds saw the back rower sin binned and gave Reynolds the chance to make it 12-6.
Amazing tackle by Hardaker
Saints looked destined to level matters when Morgan Knowles burst through the heart of the Leigh defence. Jonny Lomax was in support but was dragged down by a brilliant cover tackle from Zak Hardaker.
Lomax at the death
With a minute left on the clock, Jonny Lomax was given the space by Jack Welsby in the corner to dummy his way over and score. But Tommy Makinson would again miss the kick like he did in the first half.
Talking Points:
Leigh’s fairytale
Leigh Leopards look like the Leicester City of the Super League. They have defied the odds in Super League but are now headed to Wembley.
The Roby problem
Many of St Helens’ defeats this season have come when James Roby is absent and with his retirement coming at the end of the year there is a question of where they go next.
Beaumont the best owner in Super League?
There is an argument to be made that Derek Beaumont is the best owner in Super League the way he has taken Leigh forward.
Player Ratings:
Leigh Leopards
17 Gareth O’Brien – 8
2 Tom Briscoe – 8
1 Zak Hardaker – 9
3 Ed Chamberlain – 8
5 Josh Charnley – 9
15 Ben Reynolds – 8
7 Lachlan Lam – 9
8 Tom Amone – 8
9 Edwin Ipape – 9
10 Rob Mulhern – 8
12 Jack Hughes – 8
16 Oliver Holmes – 8
13 John Asiata – 9
Substitutes
6 Joe Mellor – 7
14 Ben Nakubuwai – 7
18 Matty Davies – 7
25 Nathan Wilde – 7
St Helens
1 Jack Welsby – 6
2 Tommy Makinson – 7
23 Konrad Hurrell – 6
3 Will Hopoate – 6
25 Tee Ritson – 7
6 Jonny Lomax – 7
7 Lewis Dodd – 7
8 Alex Walmsley – 7
14 Joey Lussick – 8
10 Matty Lees – 6
11 Sione Mata’utia – 6
19 James Bell – 6
13 Morgan Knowles – 7
Substitutes
15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook – 6
17 Agnatius Paasi – 6
21 Ben Davies – 6
30 George Delaney – 6
International Rugby League
International Rugby League series cancelled 5 days after being confirmed
