Leeds reach impressive milestone in Giants win

Leeds Rhinos 26-0 win over Huddersfield Giants on Thursday night saw the club achieve a milestone not previously matchdd for 58 year.

The Rhinos managed to nil their opposition for the first time in back to back league games since February 1968. Back then, Leeds won at Dewsbury 13-0 on 10th February 1968 before defeating Halifax at Headingley on 16th February 1968 by 35-0.

The Rhinos held Hull FC scoreless last week before repeating the effort against Huddersfield. The run could have been even better for Brad Arthur's side having conceded last consolations tries to Hull KR (77th minute) and Castleford (75th minute) in the previous two rounds.

The last time the Rhinos nilled teams in two consecutive games in all competitions was back in 2006 when the Rhinos defeated Rochdale Hornets in the Challenge Cup 66-0 before beating Bradford Bulls at Odsal by 30 points to nil. Two seasons previous, in the Championship winning 2004 season, Leeds had won back to back away games in the league without conceding defeating Widnes 46-0 and Salford 44-0 but they were either side of a hard earned derby win against the Bulls at AMT Headingley which Leeds won 26-28.

Leeds had held their opponents scoreless on twenty one occasions in Super League fixtures prior to this season. The full list is: Widnes (2004 and 2018), St Helens (2004), Wigan (2005 and 2021), Leigh (2005), London (2006 and 2008), Bradford (2006), Crusaders (2009), Hull FC (2011), Castleford (2011 and 2023), Warrington (2017 and 2020), Salford (2004 and 2018), Wakefield (2019 and 2023) and Huddersfield (2019 and 2023). So far this season, Leeds have managed to add a further three games without conceding. Salford in Round 7 when it was 28-0 and Hull FC last week (34-0) and the latest result against the Giants (26-0). This is the first season in the Super League era that the Rhinos have managed to record three games without conceding.

Remarkably this season the Rhinos have been able to hold their opponents scoreless for at least one half of rugby in 16 of their 27 games in all competitions. The last time Leeds went three games in a row without conceding a point in the league was in the 1918-19 season with a run that began the week after Armistace Day and the official end of the First World War.