On this Day - 12th April

The 12th April has marked some special occasions in Leeds' history. In 1913 Leeds recorded an amazing 102-0 win and in 2003 the Rhinos booked their place in the Challenge Cup final with a dramatic win over St Helens.

The 12th April has marked some special occasions in Leeds’ history. In 1913 Leeds recorded an amazing 102-0 win and in 2003 the Rhinos booked their place in the Challenge Cup final with a dramatic win over St Helens.

ON THIS DAY in 1913 Leeds played Coventry in the final game of the 1912-13 season and the game turned out to be a classic encounter which saw the Loiners win 102-0. It was a record score for the side, with every member of the team scoring for the first and only time in the codes history. Fred Webster was won of the stars of the show, touching down on eight occasions in the game. A Rimmington scored the first try of the game, which was converted by C.E. Haycox. Gilbertson, Fred Godward, W.H. Ganley, Fred Harrison and Fred Mirfield were also try scorers and with four tries from W.H. Davies and a brace from Billy Jarman the team secured the amazing win. Ganley kicked nine goals, Haycox kicked two and Campbell added the rest. The unbelievable result was the final nail in the coffin for Coventry who had had a poor season and dispended at the end of the season. 

ON THIS DAY in 1998 Leeds played just their third game of the season and in this away encounter faced local rivals Bradford Bulls. Iestyn Harris scored only the Rhinos second ever hat trick in Super League to help secure the win and Richie Blackmore and Paul Sterling scored one each. Harris sealed the win with three goals to ensure the Rhinos recorded their second league win of the season by 26 points to 6.

ON THIS DAY in 2001 Leeds suffered their fourth consecutive win of the season, having lost to Wigan and Hull in the league and then being knocked out of the Challenge Cup in the semi final against St Helens. These defeats had signalled the departure of Dean Lance who was replaced by Daryl Powell who took the team in to his first game in charge in this fixture. Current Rhinos favourite Rob Burrow had made his debut from the bench in the game prior to this and in this clash Powell included Rob in the starting line up. Rob rewarded him by scoring the only try in the 36-6 defeat.

ON THIS DAY in 2003 Leeds secured their place in the Challenge Cup final with a win over St Helens. Two tries from Danny McGuire sent the Rhinos into the Final with a thrilling 33-26 extra time victory. Leeds had taken the lead after only two minutes with a Sinfield penalty but Saints were soon in front though through a Darren Smith try, which Sculthorpe converted. The Rhinos responded through a converted Mark Calderwood try and they then moved 14-6 up four minutes later, with Francis Cummins’ break down the left setting up the position for a shirtless Andrew Dunemann to chip over and hand Calderwood a second.

On 24 minutes Francis Cummins scored the Rhinos third try to create a 12-point gap but again St Helens came back into the game thanks to a Newlove try which Sculthorpe converted. Saints began the second half strongly and they were rewarded when Sculthorpe scored a penalty on 48 minutes, then they immediately surged back downfield, with Mick Higham and Newlove making breaks to allow Sculthorpe to spin over underneath the posts, which The Man of Steel then converted. The Rhinos levelled the game matters with a Sinfield penalty on 57 minutes. Both sides then battled for supremacy, and it was Saints who broke the deadlock through a Sculthorpe penalty. McKenna and McGuire then had to combine to stop Smith scoring a second try, but he was unstoppable two minutes later and he went crashing in on the left. Leeds responded in a frantic finale, and a penalty for accidental offside against Saints gave them one last chance.

That saw McGuire scoop up Matt Diskin’s pass and dive in at the corner. Sinfield still needed to land the touchline goal to level matters, and he did to send the game into extra time with the final kick of the 80 minutes. Both sides forced drop out from high kicks, and the Rhinos made their resulting possession pay in the final seconds of the first ten minutes with a Sinfield drop goal. Later Sinfield broke through and McGuire supported to round Darren Albert and score in the corner and Sinfield’s fine touchline conversion sealed the win as Leeds which ended a two-year Semi-Final hoodoo for the team.

ON THIS DAY in 2004 Leeds Rhinos remained the only unbeaten team in Tetley's Super League IX following a 44-0 win at Salford City Reds.

Leeds led 14-0 after a tight first half, but kept a second clean sheet in the space of eight days and added six further tries. Chev Walker and Marcus Bai got a brace of tries and Mark Calderwood, Danny McGuire, Andrew Dunemann, Willie Poching and Chris McKenna scored one each.

ON THIS DAY in 2013 Leeds Rhinos continued their winning form with a 30-6 win over London Broncos at Headingley with Joel Moon scoring a try in each half to set the home side on their way. Danny McGuire, Kallum Watkins and Zak Hardaker got the rest to stretch the team’s unbeaten run to five games.

ON THIS DAY in 2015 the Rhinos maintained their lead at the top of the First Utility Super League with a hard earned 28-18 victory over Salford Red Devils.

Salford strong form going into this game had seen Iestyn Harris' side rise to third place so the Rhinos knew they would be in for a battle however neither side could have expected the tough conditions that the game was played in.
 
Right from Kevin Sinfield's kick off it was obvious the gusting wind was going to play a huge part in the game and so it turned out. The opening quarter was a battle of attrition with defences on top, in particular the home side who produced some outstanding goal line defence to keep the Rhinos out. However, the pressure eventually began to tell and Jamie Peacock powered his way over from close range to open the scoring. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 6-0 after 23 minutes.

ON THIS DAY in 2019 Leeds Rhinos got back to winning ways with a comprehensive 78-6 victory over Betfred League One outfit Workington Town at Emerald Headingley.

Whilst the Rhinos league form has been stuttering this season, they put any notion of a Cup upset to bed with a clinically, ruthless 13 minute spell at the start of the game that saw them run in four tries without the visitors touching the ball, apart from the first set from the kick off.