Tries from Jack Welsby, Will Hopoate and Tee Ritson help secure the win for St Helens; Leeds Rhinos hit back through Sam Walters, Nene Macdonald and Rhyse Martin; St Helens sit fourth in the Super League table with a game in hand
Saturday 29 July 2023 07:57, UK
Two tries in the second half from Jack Welsby helped St Helens secure a dramatic 22-18 victory over the Leeds Rhinos at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
The game was as tight as it has been on every occasion these two sides have met this Super League season, tries from Will Hopoate and Tee Ritson for St Helens being matched by tries from Rhyse Martin and Sam Walters for Leeds to leave the game finely poised at 12-12 at the half-time break.
The lead then continued to change hands in the second half as Welsby got over for his first before Nene Macdonald replied and Martin converted to put Leeds two points in front.
However, St Helens hit back again through Welsby, Lewis Dodd just about adding the extras to secure a nail-biting 22-18 win and get his side back to winning ways.
St Helens started with purpose and spread the ball wide early, Hopoate jumping on a Welsby grubber kick to get the Saints into a 4-0 lead.
With the home outfit having the majority of the territory and putting the Rhinos on the back foot, they increased their lead to 6-0 as Tommy Makinson slotted over an easy penalty in front of the sticks.
Leeds then had several chances in the Saints half and, after missing a few, they finally hit back and used the pressure they had created.
After Welsby's kick went out on the full, Leeds were invited into St Helens' territory and a looping pass over the top was fed back inside to Martin who powered over to score on the 22nd minute, converting his own effort to level the scores at 6-6.
Leeds then extended their lead through Walters on the 30th minute, the powerful runner finding the gap and charging through the St Helens line, Martin adding the conversion to make it 12-6.
Just on the stroke of half-time as the atmosphere in the stadium increased, St Helens sent the ball sweetly through hands to end with Ritson diving over in the corner, Makinson adding the extras from the side line to make it 12-12 at the break.
It was the Rhinos who thought they were first to score in the second half as Walters went over for a second time but he was denied as his side were offside in the build-up, St Helens then going down the other end of the field and getting over through Welsby's strength to take the score to 16-12.
An arm wrestle then ensued for 20 minutes until Macdonald took a difficult pass to show his speed and power to go over on the 63rd minute, Martin adding a difficult conversion to give Leeds an 18-16 lead.
However, St Helens hit straight back as, after Blake Austin's kick went out on the full, the home team got good ground and Welsby took the short pass from Jonny Lomax and found the space to add his second, Dodd converting to make it 22-18.
They then had to stand up in defence as Leeds kept coming at them but they scrambled defensively and took a dramatic four-point victory.
St Helens head coach Paul Wellens...
"Jack Welsby can do things on a rugby field that others can't.
"I think in this competition, there is probably only him and Jai Field that can score that try.
"His quality is there for all to see.
"Look, it is an emotional rollercoaster. I am invested in this team, I am invested in this town, I am invested in this club so it was always going to be that way.
"I am so proud of the playing group today, how they have turned up and responded off the back of what has been a really difficult week."
Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith...
"A little bit of our execution in attack and defence at times cost us.
"I thought we tackled well, we had a couple of misreads that probably hurt us in a stop-start game.
"It didn't have the end-to-end attrition that a game between these two teams should have.
"There was a lot of effort there, we put a lot of effort in."
St Helens are back in action on Sunday August 6 when they travel to face the Salford Red Devils, with kick-off at 3pm. For the Leeds Rhinos, a clash against the Leigh Leopards awaits also on August 6, live on Sky Sports Action, with kick-off at 3pm.
