Leeds Rhinos U18s 22 Hull FC U18s 34

A well-contested Academy clash at Stanningley saw Leeds Rhinos Under-18s edged out 34-22 by Hull FC Under-18s; Fergus McCormack leading the scoring for the home side.

Rhinos Academy head coach Tony Smith had named a young side for the game, along with the six players recently called up to the Yorkshire squad for next week’s Academy Origin game, but the Rhinos quickly found themselves playing catch up when Logan Moy darted out of dummy half and deceived the Leeds defence to get the opening try of the game.

Jolted into life, the home side quickly responded through Harry Taylor, who continued his good start to life in the Academy. Off the back of ill-discipline from Hull, Leeds camped themselves in the black and white’s half and reaped the rewards as Taylor took McCormack’s long pass well as the Rhinos shifted down the short side. Jack Smith couldn’t convert, making the score 6-4 to the visitors.

As the game ebbed and flowed, either side could have built on their early tries but it took until the 18^th minute for Hull to find a break through. A knock on from McCormack invited pressure as the sides scrummed down on the Rhinos 30, but the home side couldn’t defend a well designed scrum play that saw Roman Dawson score in the corner to extend Michael Shenton’s sides lead.

The young Rhinos once again rallied and found themselves ahead at the break after a great spell of play. Jack Johnson kept up his try scoring antics as the back rower powered over for his third try in two games, before McCormack showed great agility to bounce out of two poor Hull tackles and burrow his way to the try line. Smith converted both to make the half time score 16-14 to Leeds.

For all their efforts in the first half, the Rhinos were punished for errors and restricted by Hull as they went on to win the game.

Lennon Bursell poked Hull’s nose ahead as the back rower ran a strong line to get the ball down, and then Jack Charles ghosted his way to the try line; Leeds once again punished for their mistakes. Dawson made it three consecutive tries to start the second half too as the winger broke through Leeds tackles on the edge to push Hull towards the win.

McCormack gave the home side a glimmer of an opportunity when he produced one of the tries of the season.  To the disbelief of the support at Stanningley, the half back managed to wade through two tackles to break into the back field, and then despite beating the full back, he saw off two more defenders to dot the ball down under the posts for a great solo effort. Smith converted to make the score 28-22.

Leeds kept pushing for more points and tried throwing the ball around but eventually the visitors sealed the result, Moy going out of dummy half to score his second of the game and complete the scoring. Mackenzie Harman finished off the night with five kicks from five attempts, whilst Leeds returned to the sheds with eyes on their next game against Bradford Bulls on the road.