An injury-hit Leeds Rhinos PDRL team missing several key players put in a performance to be proud of on Sunday, narrowly losing out 16-6 to local rivals Wakefield Trinity in Round 4 of the PDRL League.
With just 11 fit and available players to choose from at kick off, player-coach Dan Roberts was even forced to utilise Team Manager Ben Berry as an able-bodied player but would be left overjoyed by the efforts of his depleted side to more than match their West Yorkshire counterparts for large parts of contest.
After trailing 12-0 at the break and losing two more players to injury in the first half, the Rhinos hopes of salvaging anything from the game were left looking incredibly slim. But a resilient second half performance saw them almost stage an incredible comeback, only for a late breakaway try from Trinity’s Connor Lynes to settle the tie.
The visitors had closed the gap to just one score early in the second period. Tommy Pouncey provided a superb assist to send Man of the Match Tom Lockett bursting through the line and away to score with an acrobatic finish, much to the delight of the watching spectators who were finally able to make their return and enjoy some live Physical Disability Rugby League action again at Eastmoor Dragons ARLFC.
Perhaps most pleasing for the Rhinos coaches was that the attacking fluidity which had deserted them in last week’s defeat to Castleford seemed to come flowing back with Pouncey and Tom Kaye pulling the strings in the middle of the park alongside the returning Owen Lockwood.
Also making a comeback to the side was Derek McDonald, who despite being a late injury doubt was able to rouse his teammates with a series of barnstorming runs up the left touchline, while both Aiden Miller and Peter Clarke continued impressive starts to their PDRL careers by clocking up big minutes and making huge contributions on both sides of the ball.
Only a pair of intercepted passes and an unfortunate knock-on over the try line after Kaye’s clever attacking kick stopped Leeds drawing level, after Wakefield had raced into an early first half lead through tries from Johnny Goodfellow and the ever-impressive Callum Parkinson.
Defeat leaves the Rhinos still searching for their first win of the 2021 season, but with plenty of positives to take into a well-earned three week break ahead of their return clash with Castleford on Sunday 20th June at Kirkstall.
Click HERE to check out the full photo gallery from Sunday’s game, courtesy of MKS Photography.
Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s PDRL team train every Monday 6:30-8pm at Leeds Rugby Academy, and new players are always welcome to attend!
If you would like more information about how to get involved with our PDRL side, please contact ben.berry@leedsrhinosfoundation.org.
