If Round Ten of Super League had a ‘home banker’ then it must be the home game for the Leeds Rhinos against a London Broncos side who have been unable to register a win all season and who are currently shipping in average in excess of thirty-eight points a game while scoring less than ten.
A big win for the Rhinos could see them into the top half of the table and would serve as some respite for their coach under fire, Rohan Smith, and the bookies were giving the visitors a twenty-eight-point start on the handicap coupon.
Should London grab a win, against all the odds, then the end of the evening could see them in eleventh place in the table should Hull FC sustain a heavy loss against the Warrington Wolves.
Just two minutes had elapsed when Brodie Croft broke the Broncos line thirty metres out and sprinted to the line to dive over for the opening try of the game. Rhyse Martin added the conversion for an early 6-0 lead.
Lachlan Miller picked up an attacking kick close to his own line on fifteen and broke through the pack of Broncos chasers to turn them inside out and break down to the London twenty before selflessly passing inside to Ash Handley to score under the sticks. Martin added the extras for a 12-0 lead, the Rhinos totally on top and London holding on by their fingernails to avoid an early points avalanche.
A good offensive period from London as they kept the Rhinos pinned in their own twenty until the twenty-seventh minute when Ethan Notoli took a soft pass twenty-five from the line and brushed off the tackle of Croft to dive in for the Broncos first try of the game. Oli Leyland hit the far upright with his conversion attempt.
On thirty-two James McDonnell chased and grounded a cheeky Andy Ackers grubber for the third Rhinos try. Martin was wide with his conversion, the Rhinos two converted tries ahead.
Two minutes from the break the Rhinos got their fourth try of the night after a Jarrod O’Connor break downfield to the Broncos thirty when a fast play the ball and movement through hands allowed Luis Roberts to score on a big overlap down the right-hand side. Martin added a third conversion of the night for 22-4 at the interval.
Two minutes after the restart Miller stepped his way through the Broncos defence and found a pass to the supporting Mickael Goudemand to go over and with Martin adding the conversion there was no way back, for even the most optimistic of London supporters.
On forty-six Ackers broke the London line just thirty from the line and passed inside to Jack Sinfield to score under the sticks for the sixth Rhinos try of the night. Martin’s goal was a formality for 34-4. The Rhinos were starting to cut loose.
A tremendous London try, thanks to a sensational flick pass from Alex Walker on the back of a Layland cross-field kick, which went into the hands of Robbie Storey to dive over in the right hand corner. Leyland couldn’t add the conversion from wide.
The Rhinos responded on fifty-eight when Sam Lisone took a Cam Smith soft pass to step out of a challenge and score by the right upright. Martin made it six from seven on the night for 40-8 with twenty minutes remaining.
Ackers was again the provider on sixty-nine when he broke the line before passing to Justin Sangare to score close to the sticks and give Martin a simple conversion for 46-8, the Rhinos securing an emphatic victory over the competitions whipping boys.
A second consecutive win for the Rhinos, albeit against struggling opposition, lifts them up a place in the table and onto the shirt tails of the sides in the lower play off positions in the top six. It is difficult to see where London’s first victory will come from and it a certainly that they won’t be boosting their IMG points tally by their on-field achievements. Rohan Smith still has some way to go to provide the Rhinos fans with the finished article, but he’s bought himself a little more time with another win.
Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Handley (T), Roberts (T), Martin (7/8 G), Lumb, Croft (T), Sinfield (T), Sangare (T), O’Connor, Oledzki, McDonnell (T), Goudemand (T), Smith. Subs: Lisone (T), Edgell, Ackers, Ruan. 18th Man: Nicholson-Watton.
London Broncos: Walker, Kershaw, Storey (T), Bassett, Miloudi, Leyland (0/2 G), Tison, Kennedy, Davis, Adebiyi, Lovell, Jones, Stock. Subs: Makin, Meadows, Notoli (T), Butler. 18th Man: Williams.
Half-Time: 22-4.
Full-Time: 46-8.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 12-4, 16-4, 20-4, 22-4 : HT: 26-4, 28-4, 32-4, 34-4, 34-8, 38-8, 40-8, 44-8, 46-8 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Leeds.
Referee: Aaron Moore.
