22 Jul 2023

Newcastle Thunder Reserves 12 Leeds Rhinos Reserves 46

By Guy Harvey

The Reserves made the long journey up to Newcastle for their final away game of the season and it was certainly the wettest game of the season with torrential rainfall threw out most of the evening and no doubt every player was glad to be playing on the synthetic surface at Kingston Park rather than the usual grass surface.

The home side started the game very aggressively and this showed as Leeds came up with the early error knocking on the ball in the tackle just shy of their own forty metre line, allowing Newcastle possession and a full set of tackles in the Leeds half. The Thunder then took full advantage of the territory given to them using the tackles well before finding themselves playing the ball just short of the Rhinos try line and hooker Will Lintin saw enough space to dive for the try and score the first points of the game and take an early 6-0 lead. The heavy rain would continue but both teams wouldn’t allow it impact them and a very physical and tight game would ensue but Leeds would manage to score ten minutes later after a half break from the Rhinos would cause the Newcastle defence to tighten up in the middle which was quickly spotted by Jack Sinfield passing it out wide allowing Luis Roberts to break finding Leon Ruan in support to beat the full back and score.

The game continued to be a tight and physical game with both sides not wanting to concede points, but Leeds would prevail, this time Sinfield having a half break but offloading quickly and the ball quickly moved out wide to Riley Lumb with enough space for him to cross in the corner. Leeds began to get a grip of the game and score again on the stroke of half time with Jack Sinfield again being prominent in proceedings, putting a delicate grubber through the Thunder defensive line and hitting the post allowing forward Harry Medlicott to drop on the ball and score under the post sending Leeds into half time with a 16-6 lead.

Leeds wasted no time in turning the screw coming out for the second half and in minutes scoring again, owing to getting off their defensive line quickly and applying pressure Newcastle would cough up possession and the ball bouncing straight in to Ben Hursey-Hord’s hands with just a short run to the posts ahead of him to score the try. Leeds would then go back to back with their tries this time in the shape of Luis Roberts crashing over from a short distance with a great individual effort. Newcastle wouldn’t lay down however and after both exchanging numerous completed sets would start to apply the pressure and force a goal line drop out from Leeds, but would waste the opportunity from the repeat set and after being held up just short of the line Newcastle’s dummy half would see a gap in the defensive line and dive over to score making the score 28-12 to the Rhinos. Leeds would respond quickly however and after Newcastle going the length of the field with a set of six from the kick off, would go high with their kick on the last tackle but Riley Lumb would take it on the full inside his try area and with quick thinking would race to take the tap on the twenty with most of Newcastle’s players barely back to set the line, with only the full back to beat Lumb would have Mackenzie Turner in support and with an empty field ahead of him would race seventy metres to score under the post.

With fifteen minutes left to play Leeds had a comfortable lead but weren’t finished there and still running the game Jack Sinfield took a run at the line and almost breaking through but managed to get his ball carrying arm free to offload to Luis Roberts to cross for his second of the game with a short run to score the try. Sinfield would end the game with a try of his own after running the show and being the try provider for the whole game with a little show and go near the line and also concede his own try making the final score 46-12 to the Rhinos and wrapping up a good win for the final away game of the season.

The Reserves final game of the season will be the curtain closer for the Rhinos Family Day at Headingley Stadium facing Warrington Wolves following the women’s and first team games facing the same opposition on Sunday 20^th August.

Newcastle Thunder Reserves