Leeds boss Rohan Smith admits two-try Harry Newman needs to “manage his emotions” better after his side's thrilling win over Catalans Dragons.
Rhinos looked dead and buried when trailing 22-8 against Catalans early in the second period. But they rallied in formidable style to score 24 unanswered points and inflict the French side’s first defeat of the season.
It was all the more remarkable given the glorious fightback began when they were down to 12 men. Smith’s side - with Australian stand-off Blake Austin dazzling - scored two tries while star centre Newman, 23, was sin-binned for dissent.
He admitted: “When we went down to 12 men we actually played better. It sometimes happens in sport, when backs are against the wall. You don’t know how it’s going to go.
“With Harry, the talent is there. The challenge is to find an all-round game week in, week out. He has all the tools: it’s about application now.
“Every player needs to learn how to manage emotion. That is a critical part to being a high performer. It’s not just talent. But even at 22-8, I was 100 percent confident we could win this.”
With Newman off, Richie Myler scored after Austin’s brilliant break and Aidan Sezer’s smart pass. But Catalans’ Tyrone May suffered a knee injury trying to stop Sezer. The classy Australian half-back had run the show up to that point - and his departure saw his side fall apart.
Leeds scored again in the next set when Jarrod O’Connor sneaked through some lazy marker defence. But Rhyse Martin missed both simple conversion attempts - and finished with just one goal from six. Newman returned with his side trailing by only six points.
They got closer when England prop Mike McMeeken spilled and Austin raced away to send Derrell Olpherts in. And then Austin came up with another killer play to put Leeds in front. He smashed a quality 40/20 kick before producing a smart pass to send young prop Tom Holroyd surging through.
Leeds sealed it when Myler picked up Mitchell Pearce’s grubber on his own line and sprinted clear to put an elated Newman in for his second. Martin slotted the conversion in front of the posts - and raised his arms aloft to embrace the ironic cheers of the home faithful.
Catalans had taken an early lead through Tom Davies but Leeds responded with Newman and Martin tries.
May’s fine pass got Adam Keighran over and then Catalans scrum-half Mitchell Pearce controversially scored when it looked there’d been a double movement.
Paul Seguier put the visitors further in front but they lost May, captain Ben Garcia and Mickael Goudemand to injuries.
Catalans boss Steve McNamara admitted: “We were clearly the second best team in the second half.
“We lost momentum and the game sped up too quickly for us. I could tell from the first tackle of the second half our tackling was poor. Leeds exposed it and made a good job of it. We stopped playing in attack - and the injuries are no excuse.”
