Huddersfield Giants 26 Leeds Rhinos 27 - Rhinos stunning comeback crowned by Luke Gale’s golden point winner

By Peter Smith
Published 2nd Aug 2020, 22:57 BST
Updated 2nd Aug 2020, 23:13 BST
02 August 2020. Picture James Hardisty. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhino's, in the Betfred Super League match held at Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Pictured Luke Briscoe, of Leeds Rhinos, dives to score a try whilst been tackled by Darnell Mcintosh, of Huddersfield Giants.02 August 2020. Picture James Hardisty. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhino's, in the Betfred Super League match held at Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Pictured Luke Briscoe, of Leeds Rhinos, dives to score a try whilst been tackled by Darnell Mcintosh, of Huddersfield Giants.
02 August 2020. Picture James Hardisty. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhino's, in the Betfred Super League match held at Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Pictured Luke Briscoe, of Leeds Rhinos, dives to score a try whilst been tackled by Darnell Mcintosh, of Huddersfield Giants.
WITH 12 minutes left of their first game for five months Leeds Rhinos trailed Huddersfield Giants 26-6 and were a man down.

A frantic quarter of an hour later and Leeds had won 27-26 to go top of Betfred Super League, on points difference, in the most unexpected and dramatic fashion.

Giants were the better team for 68 of the 82 minutes, but Leeds produced the comeback of all comebacks, capped by Luke Gale’s brilliant 35-metre golden point drop goal winner.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rhinos conceded seven penalties in succession in the second half and the last of those came after Ash Handley intercepted close to Leeds’ line with a clear run, but was penalised for offside, hurled the ball down in disgust and was sin-binned.

02 August 2020. Picture James Hardisty. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhino's, in the Betfred Super League match held at Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Pictured Konrad Hurrell, of Leeds Rhinos, scoring a try.02 August 2020. Picture James Hardisty. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhino's, in the Betfred Super League match held at Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Pictured Konrad Hurrell, of Leeds Rhinos, scoring a try.
02 August 2020. Picture James Hardisty. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhino's, in the Betfred Super League match held at Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Pictured Konrad Hurrell, of Leeds Rhinos, scoring a try.

Inevitably, Giants scored from the penalty when Louis Senior went over from a pass by Aiden Sezer who also added the two for his third goal.

That opened a 20-point gap and, but incredibly Leeds – having offered so little to that point – managed to score three tries in six minutes, two of them before Handley returned.

Gale cut through for a solo try, Luke Briscoe scored from Rhyse Martin’s pass and Gale sent Alex Mellor stretching over against his old club.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With two minutes left Konrad Hurrell managed to get the ball down from Richie Myler’s pass and Martin kept his never to square the scores with his third goal.

02 August 2020. Picture James Hardisty. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhino's, in the Betfred Super League match held at Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Pictured Rhyse Martin, of Leeds Rhinos, tackles Ashton Golding, of Huddersfield Giants.02 August 2020. Picture James Hardisty. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhino's, in the Betfred Super League match held at Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Pictured Rhyse Martin, of Leeds Rhinos, tackles Ashton Golding, of Huddersfield Giants.
02 August 2020. Picture James Hardisty. Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhino's, in the Betfred Super League match held at Emerald Headingley Stadium, Leeds. Pictured Rhyse Martin, of Leeds Rhinos, tackles Ashton Golding, of Huddersfield Giants.

Jake Wardle went close with a drop goal attempt as the hooter sounded and Handley then kicked ahead to give Giants another go, but Leeds snuffed out the danger.

Both teams had possession in time added on, but Lee Gaskell’s off-target one-point attempt gave Leeds a seven-tackle set and on the last of those Gale landed his winner from 35 metres.