Both coaches elected to field very strong starting line-ups for the Ash Handley Testimonial game at Headingley between the Leeds Rhinos and defending Champions, Wigan Warriors, in a pre-season friendly.
With the third round of the Challenge Cup just a fortnight away, the Rhinos preparing for a trip to London to face Wests Warriors and Wigan Warriors planning their game against the Sheffield Eagles, there were plenty of eager substitutes looking to secure their spot as the competitive season loomed.
Handley made his Leeds debut in 2014 away at London Broncos and his home debut in 2015 against the Wigan Warriors, and has 212 competitive appearances under his belt for his hometown side being a single club career man, having played eight games on loan at Featherstone Rovers in three spells.
The Rhinos put early pressure on the Warriors thanks to a Matt Frawley 40-20 inside ninety seconds. After a set restart a deft kick from Jake Connor was grounded by the man of the hour, Ash Handley to open the scoring. Connor added a simple conversion for a 6-0 lead.
After relinquishing an early lead, Wigan started to get into the game and put pressure on the Rhinos but an error under the high kick from Jai Field put his side on the back foot. Palasia went close on the third tackle but was stopped just short before a fast play the ball and short pass enable Cam Smith to crash over under the sticks and give Connor a simple conversion for a 12-0 lead.
A scrappy Wigan try on thirty-two was the reward for good pressure on the Leeds line. A mercurial Bevan French chip over the top of the Leeds defence was batted back in goal by Adam Kieghran, caught by Liam Farrell and passed to Zach Eckersley to ground as the Leeds defence failed to close the attack down. Keighran flashed his conversion across the face of the posts, Leeds still with an eight-point advantage heading into the break.
Six minutes after the restart, Ryan Hall caught a looping Brodie Croft pass for a walk-in try down the right wing, scoring in front of the fans who welcomed him back into a Leeds shirt. Connor pulled his kick across the face of the posts into a strong wind, the Rhinos with a two try lead.
A Wigan mistake under the high kick from Jack Sinfield saw the ball knocked on into the hands of Harry Newman who just had to drop over the line for the score. Connor found the target from the touchline in difficult conditions for a 22-4 win for the home side.
It was a good afternoon for Arthur’s men as they faced a strong Wigan side and outplayed them for much of the game. Wigan looked rustier than the home side, a reflection on where their pre-season might be up to, but there was also a desire amongst the Leeds players to put on a good show for Ash Handley, and to score a minor pre-season victory over the champions.
Leeds Rhinos: Connor (G 3/4), Sivo, Newman (T), Handley (T), Hall (T), Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Palasia, Bentley, Gannon, Smith C (T). Subs: Lison, Jenkins, Holroyd, Nicholson-Watton, McDonnell, Smith J., Sinfield, Lumb. Diskin, Warren; Brown, Thomas.
Wigan Warriors: Field, Eckersley (T), Keighran (G 0/1), Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Thompson, Leeming, Dupree, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis. Subs: Mago, Byrne, Walters, Hill, Forber, Farrimond, Douglas, Kerr, Makin, Hirst, Yeomans, Hodkinson, Cartwright.
Half-Time: 12-4.
Full-Time: 22-4.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 12-4 : HT: 16-4, 20-4, 22-4 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Leeds.
Referee: Liam Moore.
Attendance: 5,055.
