Leeds Rhinos 18, Wakefield Trinity 16: YEP video review

YEP rugby league scribe Peter Smith reflects on Leeds Rhinos' narrow Boxing Day defeat of Wakefield Trinity in the Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge.

Transcript

00:00It's been a very entertaining Boxing Day game here at AMT Headingley, Leeds Rhinos

00:07have pipped Wakefield Trinity 18 points to 16 in the Wetherby Whaler festive challenge.

00:13I think both coaches will have taken some positives from it. Leeds fielded the strongest

00:17available side in the first half, went 12-0 up early on after about 15 minutes, that's

00:23the way it stayed till half time. Both tries scored by Jake Connor who converted them both

00:29as well so he scored all 12 points on his first appearance for Leeds. He looked particularly

00:33sharp, I thought took both tries really well, was good under the high ball playing at full

00:38back which isn't the role he's envisaged for I'm told here at Leeds. He moved into the

00:44halves for a spell in the second half but Leeds were good in the first half, could have

00:49been further in front, probably would have been with a little bit more match sharpness

00:54but the pack were good, they got some good go forward. Credit to Wakefield Trinity for

00:59hanging in there, I think they only had one set near Leeds' line but they defended well

01:03and showed some good spirit. In the second half Leeds made a lot of changes as did Wakefield

01:08and Wakefield came back at them, got 16 points to 12 in front with 7 minutes to go and then

01:16Leeds scored a freak try immediately after Wakefield's try where the kick-off bounced

01:23away from the Wakefield defence and young George Brown who's an academy kid for Leeds,

01:28wasn't even on the team sheet but he made the catch and went over and that was a nice

01:32moment for him, something he'll remember and one or two of these Leeds kids I think have

01:38got a very bright future. Wakefield can take plenty from the enthusiasm they showed and

01:45the way they defended and the way they finished their chances. They only had a limited number

01:50of chances but to score three tries was a good effort really. They're early in their

01:54pre-season because their season went on longer than most last year, ending with the grand

01:59final in October so they'll take plenty from it. I thought a couple of their new signings

02:03looked very good but for Leeds, plenty still to build on but plenty to take encouragement

02:10from before the next practice game in exactly a month's time against Wigan which obviously

02:14will be a bigger challenge but I think so far things are looking reasonably positive

02:19for the Rhinos.