Leeds Rhinos closed out Saturday's round of Magic Weekend fixtures in style as tries from Riley Lumb, Lachie Miller and Morgan Gannon helped the club to a 17-4 win over St Helens at St James' Park. 

As both sides looked to get back to winning ways after defeats in round nine, Brad Arthur made two changes to the starting team that lost to Hull KR. Alfie Edgell got his first taste of Super League action in 2025 as he replaced Ryan Hall, who left the field early against the Robins. Kallum Watkins started at loose forward after two impressive appearances since returning from Salford.

Keenan Palasia’s move to prop saw Cooper Jenkins drop to the bench in the only other change. Jake Connor and Jack Sinfield continued in the halves for the second straight game.

Back at the home of Newcastle United for the first time since 2023, the Leeds travelling support was in full voice as the final game of Saturday’s round of fixtures got underway and the Rhinos gave them the perfect start with a try in the opening minutes.

After being pinned on their try line by the Saints in the opening set, the Rhinos made sure to convert their first scoring chance as Ash Handley and Morgan Gannon combined to open up their opponent’s edge defence. With full back Sailor coming across at speed, back rower Gannon kept his cool to dab a grubber kick ahead for Riley Lumb to claim and score an excellent opening effort.

Coming off the back of consecutive defeats in the league, St Helens were left swaying by Leeds’ early score, and Paul Wellens’ side was given no room to breathe as the Rhinos continued to come forward with vigour. Jack Sinfield was unlucky not to start a break down the right edge as Leeds found themselves with support players ready to pounce. On the opposite side of the field, Lumb looked certain to score his second as Lachie Miller fired a pass wide, but the ball drifted across the face of the young winger and out of play.

It wasn’t long before the Rhinos were behind the posts, celebrating again. A move wide to Harry Newman saw the centre pull off a quick pass to give the returning Alfie Edgell a chance to sprint round Lewis Murphy. Unselfishly, Edgell gave the ball to the onrushing Miller to finish another well-worked effort. The full back added a first conversion of the night to make the score 10-0 after 15 minutes.

Chances kept coming the Rhinos’ way as the half continued, but they couldn’t add to their advantage before the break. Utilising errors by their opponents, Edgell and Lumb came up short of the try line as desperate St Helens' defence came to the Red Vee’s rescue.

A lack of chances in attack frustrated Wellens’ side, and back-to-back penalties against Sailor and Morgan Knowles set up Miller for a penalty attempt, only for the ball to evade the uprights from 35 metres out.

A knock on late in the half by Jack Sinfield opened the only chance for Saints to try and post points, but after Curtis Sironen and Lewis Murphy were both held up over the try line, George Whitby’s last tackle kick was easily diffused by Miller to send Leeds into the break with their ten-point advantage intact.

Saints cut into Leeds’ lead early in the second half as they got their first points of the night inside the first ten minutes of the restart.

Edgell put the Red Vee on alert as a frantic couple of sets saw the Leeds winger try to break through the challenge of Murphy and Percival, only to be inches short of the line.  A penalty against Gannon gave Saints the relief they needed, and a weighted pass from George Whitby put Matt Whitley through to score his second try of the season.

The try ignited the clash as a flurry of pivotal moments for both sides kept the game finely in the balance. Jarrod O’Connor found a hole to set the Rhinos up for a try-scoring opportunity, but a Jake Connor pass was intercepted by Sailor to set St Helens up at the opposite end of the field. The chance saw Saints spend a prolonged spell with the try line in sight, but great defence from the Rhinos kept their opponents at bay as the clock continued to tick down.

The sin-binning of Saints’ Murphy on the hour mark for foul play added another turning point in the contest as the winger was shown a yellow card for leading with his knee into the head of Edgell while contesting a high ball. Despite having the extra man on the next set, clever work from Sinfield saw the young half-back kick a drop goal to take the sting out of the game and extend the lead to seven points.

The remaining crowd could sense that an exciting finish was looming, especially when Lumb and Deon Cross had tries ruled out. Miller was the architect in Lumb’s effort, but the video referee overturned the decision after ruling the winger had a foot in touch as he grounded the ball. Saints thought that they had put themselves back in the contest when Murphy, who returned from the sin bin, and Sironen combined to put their side in a strong position, but Whitby’s cross-field kick was judged to have been batted down forward by Sailor before Cross collected and touched down.

Leeds managed to bring the result home in the final minutes of the game as Gannon drove hard and low at the try line to get the Rhinos’ third score of the night, and Miller tagged on the conversion to lift the club fourth in the league and give them a first win at Magic Weekend since 2021.

Teams

Rhinos

1. Lachie Miller, 21. Alfie Edgell, 3. Harry Newman, 4. Ash Handley, 23. Riley Lumb, 18. Jake Connor, 20. Jack Sinfield, 10. Keenan Palasia, 14. Jarrod O’Connor, 8. Mikolaj Oledzki, 12. James McDonnell, 16. Morgan Gannon, 28. Kallum Watkins

Subs: 19. Tom Holroyd, 15. Sam Lisone, 11. James Bentley, 17. Cooper Jenkins (18^th Man – 7. Matt Frawley)

Tries: Lumb (2), Miller (13), Gannon (77)

Goals: Miller 2/3

Drop Goal: Sinfield (61)

Penalties: Miller 0/1

Saints

6. Tristan Sailor, 5. Jon Bennison, 36. Deon Cross, 4. Mark Percival, 20. Lewis Murphy, 1. Jack Welsby, 27. George Whitby, 17. Agnatius Paasi, 14. Moses Mbye, 10. Matty Lees, 11. Curtis Sironen, 16. Matt Whitley, 13. Morgan Knowles

Subs: 7. Jonny Lomax, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. Daryl Clark, 19. George Delaney (18^th Man – 19. Jake Wingfield)

Tries: Whitley (46)

Goals: Whitby 0/1

Sin Bin: Murphy (60 – foul play, dangerous contact)