Leeds Rhinos’ challenge to lift the League Leaders’ Shield took a significant blow in the penultimate game of the Betfred Super League regular season as they suffered a 40-8 defeat at the hands of Wigan Warriors at AMT Headingley.

Ash Handley’s sole try came in the first half as the Rhinos fought into the break only eight points behind. The brilliance of Bevan French and a hat-trick from centre Adam Keighran ultimately took the game out of the home side’s hands, as the Cherry and Whites moved into pole position to collect the Shield next week.

Brad Arthur named an unchanged starting lineup from the one that defeated St Helens before the bank holiday. Despite hopes that James McDonnell and Maika Sivo could both be available in time for the clash, Harry Newman remained as wing-partner to Ash Handley, whilst Presley Cassell led the line at loose forward after impressive performances in recent weeks. Leeds sole change came on the bench as Zak Lloyd took the place of Danny Levi as one of four forwards at Arthur’s disposal alongside Matt Lodge, Tom Holroyd and Cameron Smith.

A non-stop match delivered for a sold-out AMT Headingley Stadium as Super League’s top two sides ran a fast-paced contest throughout. The Rhinos came out in the first 40 minutes trying to pull Wigan’s defence laterally, but Brodie Croft’s intended pass for Ryan Hall evaded the winger and rolled into touch. Meanwhile, Wigan made their first chance stick as two quick-fire Adam Keighran tries gave Matt Peet’s side a double-figure advantage after 15 minutes. An offload from Luke Thompson and quick hands from Kaide Ellis and Bevan French allowed Keighran to release Austin Daniel down the Rhinos sideline, before the winger stood up both Ash Handley and Lachie Miller to pass inside for his centre partner to finish the try.

Fresh after losing Miller to a suspected hamstring injury - subsequently forcing a reshuffle that saw Zak Lloyd introduced into the action and Chris Hankinson moved into full back, the Rhinos were hit with another blow when Keighran added his second score. A 40/20 kick from French set Wigan up in range of the try line once more, but good defence from Hankinson and Jake Connor held up a rampaging Luke Thompson over the line. The chance was still there for the away side, and French found Keighran running a strong line to finish the effort as Peet’s side took a 10-0 lead.

Periodically silenced whilst Wigan accrued their points, Leeds fans finally rose to lift their team as they instantly responded with a try of their own. Jarrod O’Connor’s dart for the line saw the hooker held up short, but a well-communicated play saw Croft switch the direction of play to Connor, who chipped a kick for Handley and Newman to compete for. Rising highest above Keighran and Daniel, the Leeds captain claimed the ball mid-air and brought it to the ground to tighten the scoreline to 10-6.

The game never had a chance to breathe as chances flew by for both sides. Oliver Partington was put through a hole by French, only for Leeds to scramble and defend out the rest of the set. In response, a tip tackle on O’Connor by Brad O’Neill handed the Rhinos a chance to take a potential lead, but similar goal line defence by the Warriors saw Connor’s last tackle kick eventually picked up by Junior Nsemba. In need of a breaking moment before the half-time whistle, French stepped up to fire a rangy pass that found Leeds short on numbers out wide, but more crucially the hands of Daniel, who walked in untouched for Wigan’s third score.

Daniel and Kaide Ellis both had chances dissipate to Peet’s frustration as Wigan were finding holes in Leeds’ defensive line. Knowing they had been under pressure, Connor stepped up to kick a penalty goal in the final moments of the half to make the deficit eight points at half time.

Much like the first 40 minutes, the Rhinos’ early chances went begging whilst Wigan were more clinical at adding to their score. Lloyd attempted to catch the Warriors with a half break as Leeds tried to get a second try, only for Handley to be forced over the sideline by the gang tackle of Daniel, Keighran and Harry Smith. Immediately switching into their attacking shape, the Warriors utilised set restarts against Leeds to their benefit as Smith’s cutout pass to Zach Eckersley put Liam Marshall over in the corner.

Errors against the Rhinos proved costly, particularly in the second period, as they battled hard to find their way over the line. Their best chance came as Handley was almost released once more on the left, but as Connor fashioned a kick for Bird, the ball fell short of the centre for Wigan to bring out.

A captain’s challenge call overturned a poor play of the ball by French, before the halfback rubbed salt in the wound as he finished an off-the-cuff play involving Eckersley, Ethan Havard and Smith. With Leeds’ defence fractured, Smith’s a short chip kick ahead, and French was there to race onto it to score his sixth try in his last seven games and take the game out of the Rhinos’ reach with 15 minutes remaining.

To their credit, Leeds kept pushing until the final moments but couldn’t find an answer for the Warriors’ defence. After Hall had mishandled a pass from Croft, Jai Field took a pass inside from French to score under the posts, before Keighran rounded off the result with his third of the game. Eckersley and Field got the attack moving, but a mix-up between Newman and Handley from a Smith chip ahead proved to be the fatal moment as Partington flicked the ball up for Keighran to round off a 40-8 final score.

Teams

Rhinos

1. Lachie Miller, 5. Ryan Hall, 33. Jack Bird, 4. Ash Handley (C), 3. Harry Newman, 6. Brodie Croft, 7. Jake Connor, 8. Mikolaj Oledzki, 9. Jarrod O’Connor, 15. Cooper Jenkins, 14. Chris Hankinson, 11. Kallum Watkins, 20. Presley Cassell

Subs: 10. Tom Holroyd, 17. Cameron Smith, 30. Zak Lloyd, 31. Matt Lodge (18th Man – 28. Fergus McCormack)

Tries: Handley (16)

Goals: Connor 1/1

Penalty Goals: Connor 1/1

Warriors

1. Jai Field, 38. Austin Daniel, 2. Zach Eckersley, 3. Adam Keighran, 5. Liam Marshall, 6. Bevan French, 7. Harry Smith, 8. Ethan Havard, 9. Brad O’Neill, 10. Luke Thompson, 23. Kian McDermott, 17. Oliver Partington, 13. Kaide Ellis

Subs: 11. Junior Nsemba, 14. Sam Walters, 15. Patrick Mago, 25. Taylor Kerr (18th Man – 41. Shea O’Connor)

Tries: Keighran (8, 12, 77), Daniel (29), Marshall (43), French (66), Field (71)

Goals: Keighran 6/7