Leeds Rhinos reserves lose to Wakefield Trinity but wheelchair side stay on course for treble
Leeds Rhinos’ reserves lost 34-16 to Wakefield Trinity in Saturday’s Headingley curtain-raiser, but there was joy for the club’s wheelchair team.
Trinity’s win sealed second place in the table and a Grand Final date with Wigan Warriors.
On-loan winger Josh Millthorpe opened the scoring for Rhinos’ secondf string with a try which another Hunslet man, stand-off Joe Sanderson converted from the touchline.
Trinity levelled through a try from acting-half from Jake Camplin converted by Rhinos academy product Thomas Minns, to make it 6-6 at the break.
Wakefield’s side included Isaac Shaw who played 35 minutes in the previous night’s Super League defeat at Huddersfield Giants.
The visitors stepped up a gear at the start of the second half, running in back-to-back tries by Josh Phillips and Oliver Pratt before Camplin scored his second.
Two Minns goals made it 22-6 before Mackenzie Turner pulled a try back for Rhinos from on-loan Featherstone Rovers scrum-half Bayley Gill.
Rhinos put Trinity under pressure for a spell before Robbie Butterworth went over for the visitors’ fifth try, improved by Minns.
Rhinos scored a consolation try through Muizz Mustapha, in potentially in his final game for the club, which Sanderson improved.
Meanwhile, Rhinos - already the Challenge Cup holders - secured top spot in Wheelchair Super League with a 76-50 win at Wigan Warriors.