Warrington Wolves v Leeds Rhinos
played on 28 June 1998
at Wilderspool, Warrington
Attendance: 5,334
Referee: Russell Smith (Castleford)
Warrington Wolves 14
lost to
Leeds Rhinos 27
Lee Penny
Jason Roach
Chris Rudd
Michael Eagar
Mark Forster
Toa Kohe-Love
Lee Briers
Mark Hilton
Danny Farrar
Danny Nutley
Steve McCurrie
Brendon Tuuta
Mike Wainwright
Vince Fawcett
Ian Knott
Chris Morley
Warren Stevens
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Iestyn Harris
Paul Sterling
Richie Blackmore
Brad Godden
Francis Cummins
Tony Kemp
Graham Holroyd
Martin Masella
Ryan Sheridan
Darren Fleary
Anthony Farrell
Andy Hay
Daryl Powell
Marcus St Hilaire
Marvin Golden
Barrie McDermott
Jamie Mathiou
Brendon Tuuta
Tries
Francis Cummins
Andy Hay
Barrie McDermott
Ryan Sheridan
Anthony Farrell
Chris Rudd (5)
Goals
Iestyn Harris (3)
Field Goals
Graham Holroyd
Sent Off
In a scrappy first thirty minutes, the Wolves forged a 6-0 lead, with three penalty goals from the boot of Chris Rudd, before Leeds got the first try of the game. Jamie Mathiou and Andy Hay combined to give the Rhinos good field position, from where they quickly passed the ball out to the left wing and Francis Cummins stepped inside Jason Roach for the touchdown. Whilst Iestyn Harris hit the target with the conversion, the touch-judges inexplicably waved the goal away, so the score stood at 6 -4.
The Rhinos took the lead on 37 mins, with a try from Hay, before the Wolves hit back with just seconds of the first half remaining. They kept the ball alive close to the Leeds line, with several short off-loads and eventually, Brendon Tuuta forced his way over the line. Rudd added the extras, to make the score 12-8 at the interval.
The drizzle that had fallen throughout the first half turned into torrential rain at the start of the second. Leeds brought substitute Barrie McDermott on and he made an immediate impact, bulldozing his way over the line, with three Warrington players hanging from him. Harris made no mistake with the conversion, so the Rhinos had regained the lead, at 12-14.
Despite the atrocious conditions, Chris Rudd was having a successful night with the kicking duties and he tied up the game with a 55th min penalty, with his fifth goal. Back came Leeds and it was hooker Ryan Sheridan who scored their fourth try and restored their lead. He broke the line with a run from dummy-half, some 20m out in the middle of the field and beat the cover defence to cross in the corner. No conversion, but Graham Holroyd added a field goal a couple of minutes later, to give the visitors a 14-19 advantage.
As the game moved into its final ten minutes, Warrington were unlucky not to have their second try on the board. Lee Briers kicked to the corner for Mark Forster and whilst the winger just got to the ball before it went over the dead-ball line, the video judge ruled that he had failed to ground it correctly.
It wasn't until the 75th minute, that Leeds finally won the game. Daryl Powell broke loose down the middle of the field, with Brad Godden in support. Full back Penny tackled Powell, but Toa Kohe-Love blatantly obstructed Godden and was despatched to the sin-bin. Harris added two points to the Leeds tally with the resulting penalty, to give the Rhinos that all important seven points margin.
Anthony Farrell rounded off the scoring on 78 mins, with the Rhinos' fifth try of the game, to give the final scoreline a rather flattering look.
©1998, Richard Bailey, Matthew Webb