Flanked by Tom Briscoe, Leeds Rhinos’ record-breaking five-try hero, and Kevin Sinfield, their peerless captain, Brian McDermott, the head coach, said: “This could be as good as it gets.” Perhaps yes, but probably not.
McDermott also noted that “we’re at the foothill of something special”, as his thoughts after Saturday’s annihilation in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup final turned to a first treble by Leeds, with the First Utility Super League Leaders’ Shield nearly wrapped up and Grand Final success beckoning at OId Trafford on October 10.
As cup winners, Leeds will also test themselves against the NRL’s best, having failed to qualify for this year’s World Club Series. Right now, they are just about untouchable in the British game, as Hull Kingston Rovers found to their abject humiliation. While Leeds exuded utter belief in defending the trophy that they won last year after six final losses, cowed Rovers underwent self-torture during the most hapless performance imaginable.
Briscoe’s dazzling feat came at the expense, among others, of Kieran Dixon, who was always a contentious choice over Ben Cockayne at full back for Rovers and whose defensive blunderings unfortunately characterised his side’s dismal failings. Dixon is not the only one in need of a strong arm around the shoulder as the club seek to consolidate their top flight place in the Super 8 Qualifiers.
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Record-breaking Rhinos
• Tom Briscoe’s five tries beat the previous Challenge Cup final record of four by Leroy Rivett for Leeds against London Broncos in 1999.
• Leeds’s 50 points beat the previous biggest winning margin of 36 in their 1999 52-16 defeat of the Broncos.
• Nine tries equalled the most by a team — Leeds in 1999 and Huddersfield against St Helens in 1915.
• Kevin Sinfield set a new record by captaining Leeds in seven finals, beating Eric Ashton’s six with Wigan.
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Rovers could do worse than turn to the example of Briscoe, once of their cross-city rivals, who broke his foot in his first final appearance and was also part of the Hull team “nilled” by Wigan Warriors in 2013. From that selfconfessed low point, the England wing flew with abandon across Wembley’s broad acres, scoring his second try with a lung-bursting 90-metre charge up the right touchline in holding off the despairing Ken Sio.
From that try after half-time, Rovers collapsed in a hole. Briscoe’s other four came courtesy of the exceptional Kallum Watkins inside him. When the voting slips for Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match were starting to be collected, Briscoe had not yet scored his last three touchdowns in a coruscating conclusion to a day that began with the unveiling of a statue to a legendary Wembley quintet of Alex Murphy, Billy Boston, Martin Offiah, Eric Ashton and Gus Risman.
As for Sinfield and Jamie Peacock, their immortal status at Leeds is already assured. Their last six weeks at the club are now devoted to achieving the first clean sweep since St Helens in 2006. “What a fantastic story it will be if we can send them out with the treble,” McDermott said. “Our team’s humble but hungry. We’ve a lot to play for. For me, I’m just enjoying the ride.”
From 2016, Peacock will be part of the Rovers staff as rugby manager. While sympathetic towards his future employers, there is unfinished business with his home-town club.
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There was a standing ovation by the 80,140 crowd at Wembley for Lizzie Jones, the widow of Danny Jones, after her emotional rendition of Abide With Me, the Challenge Cup final’s traditional anthem. Her husband collapsed and died aged 29 from an undiagnosed hereditary heart disease while playing for Keighley Cougars in May. With twins Bobby and Phoebe, aged eight months, Lizzie thanked the rugby league community, who have so far donated £230,000 to a trust fund for the family. “They’ve made the most horrific point in my life a little bit more bearable. The kindness has been overwhelming,” she said.
“I feel for Hull KR, obviously,” the 37-year-old said. “Hopefully, the Rovers lads can learn next season from my experience. Right now, we want to kick on at Leeds and win the Super League.”
Peacock was stripped of possession as he looked to plunder the opening try, which was awarded to Brett Delaney. Briscoe launched his bandwagon as Rovers succumbed from the restart after a try by Danny McGuire on his 400th career appearance. Rob Burrow set up one for Brad Singleton and scored himself as records tumbled.
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For Shaun Lunt, the Rovers hooker, who had lost finals with Huddersfield Giants and Leeds, his cup agonies continued. “It’s very tough,” he said. “Leeds blew us off the park. We were nowhere near where we needed to be.”
Scorers: Leeds Rhinos: Tries: Delaney, McGuire, Briscoe 5, Singleton, Burrow. Goals: Sinfield 7.
Hull Kingston Rovers: K Dixon; J Mantellato, K Welham, L Salter, K Sio; M Blair, A Kelly; A Walker, S Lunt, T Puletua, K Larroyer, G Horne, T McCarthy. Interchange: J Boudebza, J Donaldson, D Tilse, M Allgood.
Leeds Rhinos: Z Hardaker; T Briscoe, K Watkins, J Moon, R Hall; K Sinfield, D McGuire; M Garbutt, A Cuthbertson, J Peacock, S Ward, C Ablett, B Delaney. Interchange: R Burrow, K Leuluai, M Achurch, B Singleton.
Referee: B Thaler.