St Helens delivered one of their most determined performances in recent memory to extend their impressive winning streak at the home of fierce rivals Leeds Rhinos, moving ahead of Brad Arthur’s team into third place in the Super League standings.
While St Helens have acknowledged that their form has fallen short of their usual high standards for much of 2025, they have assembled a strong mid-season run, lifting them from the edge of playoff contention into the top three with nine games left.
Under Paul Wellens’ leadership, the team demonstrated their defensive strength in a hard-fought victory. Despite losing both hookers to first-half head injuries, the Saints’ forwards held firm even when at a numerical disadvantage.
Their seventh consecutive Super League win over the Rhinos in west Yorkshire—a streak stretching back to 2017—along with five straight league victories has now firmly placed them in the battle for a top-two finish, showcasing the kind of resilience that could prove crucial later in the season.
The game’s only try came in an intense first half. With temperatures soaring, opportunities were scarce, and neither side found fluid attacking form. However, a moment of individual skill in the 14th minute saw Tristan Sailor deceive Ryan Hall with a dummy pass, creating just enough space for winger Owen Dagnall to score in the corner and open the scoring.
Leeds had controlled possession up to that point and maintained their grip on the ball even after falling behind 4-0. Yet their usually potent attack, among Super League’s best this year, struggled to break through St Helens’ disciplined defense.
Jake Connor, who had drawn attention the previous week with a standout performance against Hull KR and a surprise England squad omission, was often Leeds’ focal point in attack. However, he squandered two prime opportunities by misjudging passes to his wingers.
St Helens suffered an early setback when hooker Daryl Clark was forced off with a head injury after just nine minutes. His replacement, Jake Burns, also failed a head injury assessment at halftime, leaving the Saints without a recognized hooker for the second half. Yet, they adapted impressively.
Leeds continued to push forward without decisive execution. A high kick was mishandled by Dagnall, leading to a frantic passage of play where James McDonnell appeared to score in the corner for the Rhinos. However, replays confirmed a push from Harry Newman in the buildup, ruling out the try.
No matter what Leeds attempted, St Helens stood firm. Even with prop Agnatius Paasi temporarily off the field for a sin-binning, the visitors’ determined defense repeatedly denied the home side, sealing a hard-earned victory.
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