Leeds Rhinos have affectionately dubbed this period in their history the ‘Golden Decade’ – and if you look back over any of their pivotal performances in the last 10 years, several names immediately spring to mind.
Two of those are the forward Jamie Peacock and their captain, Kevin Sinfield, and if Leeds were to progress to the Challenge Cup Final again in 2015, you always felt they would play a key role. Both in their final years before leaving the club – Peacock heads off into retirement whilst Sinfield will cross codes and play rugby union for Yorkshire Carnegie – they ultimately spearheaded Leeds’ charge into a fifth cup final in six years as the Rhinos saw off their great rivals St Helens in a thrilling semi-final.
While Sinfield’s renowned game management provided the backbone to Leeds’ win, the 37-year-old Peacock provided what is surely the standout moment of this year’s Challenge Cup so far; rolling back the years with an astonishing solo try that all-but confirmed Leeds’ progression to the final.
Peacock is the game’s ageless warrior; even though he bows out at the end of the season he shows no sign of slowing up, and as he prepares for a seventh final of his own to round off one of the most iconic careers of the modern era, he will do so with Leeds within one win of retaining the trophy they won at Wembley last August.
“That’s him rolling back the years when he was a lean back-rower who could really shift,” said the Leeds coach Brian McDermott of Peacock afterwards. “He weighs a bit more now and he’s a bit older – but what a fantastic moment for him.
“I know it’s a big call – and I’m not just gushing because we’re in the final – but I think given the context of the team we played, that was the best 20 minutes I’ve ever seen us play at the start. They threw everything at us after that and we really had to tough it out.”
It is hard to argue with McDermott’s comments; Leeds blew the Saints out of the water with a sensational first 20 minutes that laid the platform for their win. Playing at breakneck speed from the first whistle, Leeds were too quick and too dynamic for their opponents – and although St Helens would respond with an improved performance in the second half, it was not enough to end their seven-year absence from Wembley as they ultimately fell short.
“It was game on in the second half, but we just misread a crucial read on Kallum Watkins which was a training-drill play we should have read,” said the St Helens coach Keiron Cunningham. “It was poor attention to detail, but life goes on and we’ll use this as a learning curve for the Super 8s.”
By the time St Helens had established any sort of foothold in the game, Leeds seemed to have one foot in the final. Tries from the outstanding Zak Hardaker and Joel Moon, who was sent clear by Watkins’ long cut-out pass, and a penalty goal from the methodical Sinfield put Leeds 12-0 up, and although Mark Percival’s try gave the Saints hope two minutes before half-time, the Super League leaders always had them at arm’s length.
Leeds’ cushion was extended six minutes after the restart when Peacock stunned everyone with his turn of pace to barge his way past four St Helens defenders to make it 18-4, before the Super League champions offered their fans brief hope when tries from Andre Savelio and Percival reduced the gap to just four points.
However, that hope proved to be nothing more than a false dawn, as Leeds sealed their route back to Wembley when Sinfield fired a bullet pass to Watkins, who had too much pace and strength for a St Helens defence who had used up all their energy trying to keep pace with the Rhinos in that blistering opening quarter.
Interchange Burrow, Leuluai, Keinhorst, Garbutt.
Tries Hardaker, Moon, Peacock, Watkins Goals Sinfield 4
St Helens Quinlan; Dawson, Percival, Turner, Swift; Burns, Walsh; Walmsley, Roby, Amor, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Greenwood, Flanagan.
Interchange Vea, Jones, Masoe, Savelio.
Tries Percival 2, Savelio Goal Walsh
Referee B Thaler
