SENIOR ACADEMY PIP BULLS AT HEADINGLEY CARNEGIE

The Rhinos Senior Academy qualified for the Senior Academy Final Eliminator at Headingley Carnegie Stadium after a nail biting 22-18 victory over the Bradford Bulls. It was the visitors who had first impact on the scoreboard. After Jamie Thackray had dropped a pass on half way, the Rhinos failed to kill the ball. The Bulls sensed an opportunity, quick play the balls not allowing the Rhinos defence to set and Richie Hawkyard's long pass found Dave Halley who stepped inside to go under the posts. Luke Helliwell converted to give the Bulls a 6 point advantage. Leeds hit back five minutes later, after knocking on from the kick off the Rhinos built the pressure. Forcing a repeat set, then getting a penalty and the Bulls defence could not hold out. On the last tackle a long pass from Kyle Briggs found Michael Brown and he managed to touch down in the corner despite the attention of two Bulls defenders. The Rhinos then took the lead straight from the kick off, Luke Burgess breaking through the Bulls defensive line before releasing Ben Jones-Bishop on half way who went in untouched. After missing with his first attempt, Briggs added the conversion and the Rhinos were suddenly 10-6 ahead. Leeds almost scored again from the kick off, this time using the "Perpignan Special". Burgess found Ryan Hall who went down the South Stand touchline before kicking the ball downfield. Jodie Broughton almost won the footrace but the Bulls scrambled the ball dead for a goal line drop out. The game became littered with errors, neither team being able to complete a set of six. One team was surely going to take advantage and in the 24th minute it was the Rhinos. Hawkyard again dropping a pass and it was recovered by Luke Burgess. A quick play the ball saw Ben Kaye find Jamie Thackray and he got on the outside of the Bradford cover to go in from 40 metres out. Briggs was unable to convert but the Rhinos led 14-6. The Bulls hit back in the 33rd minute, after some great defence kept the Rhinos at bay, the Bulls went downfield and struck. Paul Mennell with a chip over the Rhinos defence that was taken in full flight by Dave Halley to get his second try of the game. Helliwell again converted to bring the gap down to just two points. Despite some late pressure from the Rhinos, the Bulls defence again held firm and Leeds took a 14-12 lead into the break. Bradford had the first clear opportunity of the second half when Richard Johnson found a gap in the Rhinos defence. He was hauled back by Michael Brown, but the Rhinos centre hung on for too long and was penalised then sent to the Sin Bin. It was to be a big test of the Rhinos defence. Bradford nearly took advantage when George Flanagan broke clear but Ben Jones-Bishop was on hand to save the day for the Rhinos. Leeds managed to keep their line intact while a man down and then they got the first score of the second half with 59 minutes gone. After a Bradford turnover on half way gave the Rhinos their best starting point of the half they made it count. Ben Kaye going close with a break before Luke Gale ran across the defensive line to send Jodie Broughton in at the North-East corner. Briggs was unable to convert but Leeds now led 18-12 going in the last quarter of the match. The Rhinos extended their lead with 14 minutes to go, after a penalty helped them get downfield they were 20 metres from the Bulls line on the last tackle. Jamie Thackray went from dummy half and put a precision kick into the in goal area which Ryan Hall was able to touch down ahead of the Bulls cover. Briggs again could not convert but it extended the Rhinos lead to 10 points. Bradford gave themselves a lifeline with five minutes to go. After getting a repeat set deep in Rhinos territory they stretched the Rhinos defence moving the ball from side to side and Richie Hawkyard went across the face of the Rhinos defence and Dave Halley stepped his way over the home line to complete his hat-trick. Hellewell converted and Leeds were hanging onto a 4 point lead. Then Craig Kopczak stole the ball one on one from Michael Brown and the Bulls made one last bid to snatch the game. Eddie Kilroy and Dave Halley both going close but the Rhinos held on to clinch a 22-18 victory and move onto the Final Eliminator next weekend. Superb entertainment on show as the Rhinos booked their place in the next round. After a slow start Jamie Thackray made his presence felt but it was a team effort. Hayley and Burgess were rocks in the Rhinos pack but again it was Luke Gale who prompted the Rhinos over the park and onto victory. Leeds: Jones-Bishop: Hall, Broughton, M Brown, Reittie: Briggs, Gale; Burgess, Haley, Kaye, Brook, Thackray, Worrall Interchange: Allan, Hart, Chandler, Jones Bradford: Shackleton: Halley, Kilroy, Johnson, Finnigan: Hawkyard, Mennell: Kopczak, Carlisle, James, Armitage, Szostak, Helliwell Interchange: Flanagan, Shepard, Crossley, Cherryholme Referee: Charlie Nielson By Matthew Horton