Saints snatch stunning playoff victory at Leeds
Shane Wright finishes late for St Helens as they stun Leeds in a dramatic eliminator
St Helens staged a dramatic late comeback to snatch a 16-14 win over Leeds Rhinos in the Betfred Super League play-off eliminator at Headingley, with Shane Wright finishing the decisive effort on the final play of the game. The winner came from a sweeping, 16-pass move that traversed the width of the field before Wright touched down on the last tackle.
Leeds led at halftime after a brisk opening spell, with Hankinson crossing early and Jonny Lomax's reverse of fortune for Saints cancelling out the opener before Leeds extended their lead. The half-time score stood 12-6 to Leeds as Saints regrouped.
Matty Lees left the field at half-time after his wife went into labour, forcing Saints to continue with a shortened bench on a physically taxing night in West Yorkshire. Leeds seized the initiative after the break but could not capitalise on their dominance, with a Jake Connor penalty representing the hosts’ only points in a sustained period of pressure.
St Helens began the revival in the second half as Bennison crossed to reduce the arrears and set up a frantic finale. Leeds appeared to have the game in hand when Connor extended the lead with a late penalty, but Bennison followed with a try four minutes from time to spark the comeback. Wright then finished the move in front of a stunned Headingley crowd as the ball swung from left to right and back again for the final touchdown.
The late drama capped a rollercoaster contest that underscored why the two clubs have dominated the competition in recent years. Saints’ win keeps their season alive and hands them a semi-final clash with Hull KR, scheduled for Saturday, 4 October.
Brad Arthur, Leeds head coach, called the result “shattering” and said his players gave everything despite the cruel ending, while St Helens full-back Tristan Sailor praised the late courage and Wright’s match-winning finish. The result also preserves Saints’ status as one of Super League’s most storied clubs, with the win marking another chapter in a high-stakes playoff rivalry between the teams.