This closely fought game may have been one the champions would have lost earlier in the year, but as their key players return to full fitness and the influence of the new signing, James Segeyaro, continues to grow, the threat of relegation hanging over Leeds’ head going into the Qualifiers grows ever smaller. This win, their fifth in six games, ensured Leeds will finish no lower than 10th before the conclusion of the regular season this weekend.
The ninth- and 10th-placed sides are assured four home games in the Qualifiers as opposed to the three awarded to the two sides below them, a fate Leeds have now avoided at the expense of the Robins.
Hull KR, with several key players injured, were denied a point and an extra home game in the “middle eight” only because of errant goal-kicking from Josh Mantellato. Their coach, James Webster, demanded an improvement despite a performance which offered some positives for KR before their relegation battle.
“We tried really hard and probably deserved something out of the game,” Webster said. “But we need to be more clinical and I’m not going to hide from the fact we need to improve in these seven games.”
KR fought back from 12-6 down with two tries either side of half-time to hold a lead they would keep until 15 minutes from full-time. The half-back, Albert Kelly, provided the pass to put Maurice Blair over just before the break before Kelly started a stunning move after the restart which led to Ken Sio touching down. Mantellato converted for 16-12.
It stayed that way for more than 20 minutes as penalties and errors began to dominate proceedings before a crucial error from the hosts turned the tide back in Leeds’ favour with 15 minutes to go. Ben Cockayne spilled in midfield which gave Leeds the field position to strike and Segeyaro – an undoubted factor in their recent improvement since his arrival from the NRL – was the man to capitalise, touching down after smart interplay with Brett Ferres.
The Robins pushed hard in a thrilling finale with Kieran Dixon scoring a try with a minute remaining. But Ryan Hall’s score before that proved to be the difference. “There was a lot of anxious energy out there because there was a chance we could have finished bottom,” Leeds’s Brian McDermott said. “Going into the Qualifiers with some momentum is important.”
McDermott defended his comments made after the Rhinos’ win against Wigan last weekend. The Wigan coach, Shaun Wane, accused McDermott and Leeds of deliberately influencing the disciplinary process which led to Taulima Tautai being suspended following a dangerous tackle on the Rhinos prop, Adam Cuthbertson. McDermott stood by his comments which called for “cannonball” tackles to be outlawed.
“I completely don’t regret saying something,” McDermott said. “I made it clear when I had my supposed rant that it wasn’t against Shaun or Tautai. I’m speaking as a bloke who doesn’t want to see those tackles in the game; it’s about how the game views the tackles.”
The prospect of securing an extra home game before a fight against relegation may not have been high on the priority list of Leeds heading into 2016, but they can at least be satisfied that it is job done in that regard now.
Hull KR Cockayne; Sio, Minns, Balir, Mantellato; Marsh, Kelly; Tilse, Boudebza, Walker, Greenwood, Larroyer, Lawler. Interchange Dixon, Cator, Mulhern, Green.
Tries Marsh, Blair, Sio, Dixon. Goals Mantellato 2.
Leeds Sutcliffe; Briscoe, Watkins, Keinhorst, Hall; Lilley, Burrow; Galloway, Segeyaro, Singleton, Ferres, Ablett, Jones-Buchanan. Interchange Cuthbertson, Garbutt, Achurch, Golding.
Tries Keinhorst, Burrow, Segeyaro, Hall. Goals Sutcliffe 4.
Referee R Hicks. Attendance 8,109.
