FORUMS FORUMS






RLFANS.COM
Celebrating
25 years service to
the Rugby League
Community!

  
Super League 2017 touched down at the 'Totally Wicked Stadium' as St. Helens welcomed the Leeds Rhinos for the seasons opening fixture. Both sides were looking to get their campaign off to the best of starts with an opening weekend win, one would be disappointed in eighty minutes time.

Saints were without new signing Matty Smith, out with a nasty pre-season injury, and the Rhinos had lost Brett Ferres, Danny McGuire and Brett Delaney to friendly game knocks. But both sides gave debuts to new signings.

It had been a scrappy opening twenty minutes, despite the high tempo, with both sides gifting possession, giving away some clumsy early season penalties, and being thwarted by good defence when close to the opponents line.

It was the Rhinos who broke the deadlock with a passing move to the left which saw Joel Moon fend off the Saints defenders to ground before sliding into touch. Liam Sutcliffe pulled the conversion left of the uprights.

On twenty-four Saint Adam Swift knocked-on a Rob Burrow high kick under no pressure but Saints managed to defend their line and thwart the Rhinos.

Saints had had the upper hand in the first ten minutes but Leeds dominated the next twenty before Saints put the pressure back on the visitors leading up to the interval. There was nothing to choose between the sides as they went into the sheds.

From the start of the second half it was all Saints with the going close on two occasions before, with two and a half minutes on the clock, Theo Fages found a gap to go between two Leeds defenders to ground from five metres out. Mark Percival kicked the conversion and edged his side 6-4 ahead.

On forty-seven it looked like Liam Sutcliffe was over for the Rhinos after a Kallum Watkins break but a superb Tommy Makinson tackle dragged the Rhinos half-back into touch just short of the try line.

Both sides had multiple chances over the next half-hour but it was two solid defences who bossed the game and frustrated repeated attacks.

When Luke Thompson lost the ball on the half-way line the Rhinos looked to snatch the points but despite the Rhinos throwing the ball around with abandon the Saints defence didn't panic and held firm.

Saints held on through the closing minutes for a hard fought two point opening round victory.

It was a colossal battle of two strong defences with just a conversion to choose between the two sides. If this is what Super League 2017 is going to serve up on a weekly basis, we are in for a treat.

Saints: Lomax, Makinson, Morgan, Percival (G), Swift, Fages (T), Richardson, Amor, Lee, Douglas, Greenwood, Peyroux, Wilkin. Subs: Walmsley, Roby, Thompson, Knowles.

Rhinos: Golding, Briscoe, Watkins, Moon (T), Hall, Sutcliffe, Burrow, Garbutt, Parcell, Cuthbertson, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Singleton. Subs: Ward, Keinhorst, Mullally, Baldwinson.

Referee: Phil Bentham.

Half-Time: 0-4.

Full-Time: 6-4.

Attendance: 12,208.


facebook sharing button
twitter sharing button
pinterest sharing button
email sharing button
sharethis sharing button


Posted by RLFANS News Hound on Thu 9th Feb 2017 9:51 PM | Views : 13600 | Replies : 0 | BACK TO STORIES
RLFANS Recent Posts
FORUM
LAST
POST
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
6m
Smith - should he stay or should he go
ComeOnYouUll
351
10m
Squad for Catalan
Smiffy27
17
25m
The Good Friday Derby Massacre
ComeOnYouUll
126
44m
WIRE YED Prediction Competition Catalans Home
Builth Wells
15
45m
Game - Song Titles
Wanderer
34275
46m
BORED The Band Name Game
Wanderer
55989
55m
2024 Southstandercom Prediction Competition Week 6
steamy
32
56m
The official Leon Hayes Thread
fez1
17
Recent
No grade A for 2025 for Trinity
Khlav Kalash
24
Recent
The Bulls away
terry silver
9
FORUM
LAST
VIEW
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
30s
BORED The Band Name Game
Wanderer
55989
33s
21 man Squads - Devils v Leopards
Septimius Se
2
45s
The official Leon Hayes Thread
fez1
17
46s
The Good Friday Derby Massacre
ComeOnYouUll
126
48s
Saints a
Warrior Wing
21
1m
Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4
Jack Burton
8703
2m
This weeks disciplinary
sir adrian m
1007
2m
Huddersfield - Home
Fartown58
6
2m
Wigan v Sts discussion - THIS THREAD ONLY PLEASE
Zig
1933
2m
TV Games - Not Hull
WIZEB
1380
FORUM
NEW
TOPICS
TOPIC
POSTER
POSTS
TODAY
Stats article
Sir Gregory
5
TODAY
21 man Squads - Devils v Leopards
Septimius Se
2
TODAY
Squad for Catalan
Smiffy27
17
TODAY
The Wigan Way - New Podcast - Chairman Special
Jukesays
1
TODAY
Dons v Swinton Lions 30 June 2024
Wanderer
1
TODAY
Squad for Sheffield
AdamH
1
TODAY
London Away
Fartown58
1
TODAY
The Bulls away
terry silver
9
TODAY
The official Leon Hayes Thread
fez1
17
TODAY
Saints a
Warrior Wing
21
TODAY
Leon Ruan signs on loan
Jemmo
2
TODAY
Wardle
Jo Jumbuck
3
TODAY
Huddersfield - Home
Fartown58
6
TODAY
Max Wood on loan to Bradford 2 weeks
rubber ducki
7
TODAY
Jake Wardle 5 Year deal
Zig
22
TODAY
No grade A for 2025 for Trinity
Khlav Kalash
24
TODAY
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangements
RLFANS News
1
TODAY
Rd 6 I Cas A
Rockinhorse
21
TODAY
WIRE YED Prediction Competition Catalans Home
Builth Wells
15
TODAY
Spare Tickets Friday
post
4
TODAY
RL Podcast
AgbriggAmble
1
NEWS ITEMS
VIEWS
Cup Quarter Final TV Arrangeme..
499
2024 Challenge Cup Quarter Fin..
628
Easy Does It For The Dragons A..
551
Warrington Demolish London For..
660
Leigh Leopards Beat Plucky Fea..
707
Saints Triumph Over Disappoint..
686
Easy Win for the Wolves Over L..
932
Dragons Condemn Castleford To ..
906
Leigh Leopards Secure First Po..
1051
St Helens Tame The Rhinos To W..
1021
Wigan Warriors Come From Behin..
1076
Betfred Championship and Leagu..
1067
2024 Challenge Cup Sixth Round..
3839
Featherstone Win Extra Time Cu..
1189
Dragons Triumph Over Hull FC t..
1067
RLFANS Match Centre
Matches on TV
Table 'boards.stats_fixtures' doesn't exist