Wakefield Trinity 22 Leeds Rhinos 24

A 77th-minute try from Chris Hankinson and conversion from Jake Connor saw Leeds Rhinos overturn a 22-6 deficit to defeat Wakefield Trinity at the DIY Kitchens Stadium and extend their lead at the top of the Betfred Super League table.

Three consecutive tries put the Rhinos on the back foot by half-time, but a spirited second half saw James McDonnell, Cameron Smith and Hankinson give Leeds their second win of the season and end Trinity’s seven-game winning run.

Coming into the contest after securing back-to-back home wins over Bradford and Toulouse, Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur recalled captain Ash Handley and Alfie Edgell to his matchday squad to take on Trinity as the duo partnered on the right edge. Handley was a welcome return after missing the last two games following appendicitis, whilst Edgell was a late withdrawal against Olympique but was fit to face Trinity as he took the place of Riley Lumb.

Ned McCormack was the only player to drop out of the side as he continued his return-to-play protocol following a HIA against Toulouse. The club’s latest debutant Zak Lloyd was retained for a second week as he remained amongst the substitutes.

A top-of-the-table clash meant that nerves were high from both sets of supporters, who expected a close encounter especially after Wakefield came away with a drop goal win when the sides met in 2025. Despite a strong start from the home side – led by a half break from Jake Trueman – Leeds responded with the best chance of the opening exchanges. Lachie Miller put Trinity’s defence on watch as he broke out of Jack Sinfield’s challenge to get the Rhinos deep in Trinity’s half, before the full back combined with Jake Connor to open up space for Jack Bird, but the centre couldn’t hold onto the pass for a certain try.

A strong start from the visitors continued when Connor stepped up to slot a trademark 40/20 kick, but the Leeds half-back’s kick on the last tackle wasn’t up to standard as it landed straight into the arms of Trueman. Although that chance went begging, a knock-on by Isaiah Vagana saw Jarrod O’Connor start a counter-attack with Ash Handley, but the centre didn’t spot Brodie Croft in support as the half-back would have been away for a certain try. The Rhinos kept the pressure on as Harry Newman had to be halted short of the line by Tom Johnstone and Corey Hall, but a move left saw the pressure dissipate as Handley forced over the sideline as Wakefield survived.

A forward pass by O’Connor inevitably had a knock-on effect as the possession gave Trinity their first points of the game on the 20-minute mark. Bolstering their defence with the substitutions of Caius Faatili and Caleb Hamlin-Uele into the pack, Wakefield felt the momentum swing in their favour, and Sinfield capitalised with a chip kick as it sat up right for Vagana to charge through and score.

A second score for the home side handed Daryl Powell’s side control as Hamlin- Uele combined with Faatili. Handed another opportunity to come away from their own line as Leeds found themselves tangled in the tackle, Faatili’s line break saw the prop run over the top of Miller before he offloaded for Hamlin-Uele to finish the score under the Leeds. Sinfield converted both tries to make the score 12-0 with 25 minutes played.

A cut to the head for Miller forced rotations in the Rhinos squad as Edgell moved to full back to cover, but Leeds’ night took another blow just shy of the half-hour mark. A ball steal by Holroyd was hopefully challenged by Leeds, only to be upheld to push Trinity back into scoring range. As Sinfield darted into a gap, the former Leeds player got an arm free to fling a ball wide for Jayden Myers, who beat Handley and planted the ball in the corner to take the score to 16-0.

Leeds needed to score the next points to ensure the game didn’t start to slip away from the away side, and fortunate penalty calls aided Arthur’s side as ill-discipline started to creep into the home side’s game. Another former Rhino, Corey Hall, had risen highest to claim a Connor bomb, but the centre’s knock on 40 metres from his own line handed Leeds a much-needed chance. James McDonnell and Presley Cassell helped as the platform, before a quick shift from Croft saw him carve a hole in the Trinity line to touch down.

With Connor’s conversion cutting the Wakefield lead to 10 points, Leeds tried to convert a chance in the closing stage, only for Edgell’s kick ahead to fly over the sideline to send the teams into the break. The chance came back to bite the visitors as off the back of another offside penalty given by Liam Moore, Faatili and McMeeken carried Trinity close before Sinfield took an offload from Hamlin-Uele to drive through Connor and get the toe of the ball over the line.

Still with half an hour to go to turn the game around, Connor and Handley managed to orchestrate a break down the right edge to pit Edgell in at the corner. Video replays showed the winger - now back in his usual position as Miller had returned into the action – had been forced into touch by Myers. O’Connor also tried a burrow out of dummy half off the back of a Tom Holroyd carry, only to also be chalked off as Hamlin-Uele’s tackle twisted the hooker and the ball away from the try line. Still with possession, Leeds chose a short side shift, and McDonnell hit a hard line to ensure the Rhinos still had life at 22-12.

Sensing a shift in momentum, Smith put the Rhinos attack on his shoulders as the loose forward scored a brilliant solo effort to keep the points ticking over for the away side. Errors and penalties that had dogged the Rhinos in the first half were starting to come to the forefront as Jazz Tevaga held down O’Connor to cause referee Moore to penalise Trinity. As Smith received the ball stationary, the Wakefield-bound player went searching across the line before finding the tired defence of Faatili and Vagana to drive through and beat full back Rourke to the try line.

Backing up his try with a huge defensive play, Smith produced a major tackle to stop Scott in the corner. Trinity had mounted a counter attack when Rourke and Johnstone combined, only for Bird to step in and shut down the England international winger. Shifting across the field quickly through the hands of Sinfield, Trueman and Vagana, centre Scott looked to be in at the corner for a certain finish before Smith forced him to place a foot on the sideline in the process of grounding it.

Heading into the final 15 minutes with the score at 22-18 in favour of the home side, both sides looked on edge with a place at the top of the Super League table on the line. Trinity had a chance shut down quickly by Connor, who intercepted Smoothy’s pass to send Handley away. A knock on by Miller handed possession back over, but the chances kept flowing as Leeds rode a wave of pressure into the full-time whistle. Eager for a second try, Smith looked certain to give his side the lead, only for Rourke to stop the Leeds sub and force a knock-on. Holroyd also had an opportunity denied by the officials as a kick from Connor was touched forward by Handley into the path of the onrushing prop to keep Trinity on the ropes.

Biding their time, the Rhinos uncovered the game-winning moment with three minutes to spare. Miller scampered forward and earned a high shot from Vagana to push Leeds back towards the Trinity try line, and the chance wasn’t going to be missed. Handling the ball expertly, Connor dropped a dab kick for the in-goal area, and although Handley missed the initial opportunity, Hankinson was there to follow up and plant the ball down for the game-tying score. With the pressure on his shoulders, Connor stepped up to kick the conversion from out wide and take the Rhinos home to a 24-22 triumph.

Teams

Trinity

23. Josh Rourke, 21. Jayden Myers, 3. Cameron Scott, 4. Corey Hall, 5. Tom Johnstone, 6. Jake Trueman, 20. Jack Sinfield, 24. Tray Lolesio, 9. Tyson Smoothy, 10. Ky Rodwell, 18. Isaiah Vagana, 8. Mike McMeeken (C), 13. Jazz Tevaga

Subs: 14. Jay Pitts, 15. Caleb Hamlin-Uele, 16. Caius Faatili, 17. Harvey Smith (18th Man – 12. Matty Storton)

Tries: Vagana (21), Hamlin-Uele (24), Myers (29), Sinfield (44)

Goals: Sinfield 3/4

Rhinos

1. Lachie Miller, 3. Harry Newman, 33. Jack Bird, 4. Ash Handley (C), 21. Alfie Edgell, 6. Brodie Croft, 7. Jake Connor, 8. Mikolaj Oledzki, 9. Jarrod O’Connor, 15. Cooper Jenkins, 14. Chris Hankinson, 12. James McDonnell, 11. Kallum Watkins

Subs: 10. Tom Holroyd, 17. Cameron Smith, 20. Presley Cassell, 30. Zak Lloyd (18th Man – 28. Fergus McCormack)

Tries: Croft (37), McDonnell (52), Smith (55), Hankinson (77)

Goals: Connor 4/4