Rhinos triumph against Wakefield in a highly entertaining Super League clash at Headingley that produced nine tries, including two long-range efforts from Trinity's Tom Johnstone
Monday 29 March 2021 12:54, UK
Two spectacular long-range tries from Wakefield winger Tom Johnstone were in vain as Leeds edged a nine-try feast in the opening round of the Betfred Super League at Headingley.
Johnstone, who has made an art form of acrobatic close-range finishes, showed he can also play with guile and panache and his second 80-metre try of the game locked the scores at 22-22 early in the second half.
But the Rhinos had the final say and secured a 28-22 victory with impressive teenager Jack Broadbent's first-ever Super League try on the hour before Rhys Martin wrapped up the scoring with a late penalty.
It looked routine for the Rhinos when Gale combined with full-back Richie Myler to get left winger Luke Briscoe over for a fifth-minute try but Wakefield tightened their defence and began to pose all sorts of problems on attack.
The fightback was sparked by Johnstone's first solo effort, created by a cut-out pass from skipper Jacob Miller inside his own 20-metre area before Lino began exerting his influence on the Trinity side.
The Samoa international combined with centre Reece Lyne to get right winger Innes Senior over at the corner and got Miller into a gap for second rower Matty Ashurst to score Trinity's third try in 11 minutes.
Lino succeeded with two of his conversion attempts to put his side into a 16-4 lead but there was another huge momentum shift as Leeds finished the half strongly.
A break from the 19-year-old Broadbent created the position for Gale and Myler to carve out another opening for Briscoe and centre Alex Sutcliffe was in support to touch down.
Martin added the conversion and the Rhinos struck again twice in the last seven minutes of the half to go back in front.
Hooker Brad Dwyer burrowed his way over from dummy half before prop Matt Prior took advantage of a relaxation of the ball-stealing rule to seize possession from Johnstone and Gale got Myler striding over for the Rhinos' fourth try of the half.
Martin's third conversion made it 22-16 but it was all level four minutes into the second half when Johnstone plucked Gale's attacking kick out of the air and sprinted 80 metres for his second try, which Lino converted.
The decisive moment came 15 minutes later when Broadbent took Myler's pass to slice through a gap for the try that restored Leeds' advantage and, although Martin could not add the goal, he succeeded with a penalty five minutes from the end to clinch a hard-fought victory.
