Boxing Day round-up: Leeds Rhinos come from behind to beat Wakefield Trinity & Sean Long’s perfect start at Oldham

With three pre-season friendlies taking place on Boxing Day, here is a round-up of the action from Headingley, Cougar Park and the FLAIR Stadium.

Leeds Rhinos 41-22 Wakefield Trinity

Leeds produced a second half fightback to turn around a 22-6 half-time deficit to beat Wakefield 41-22 at Headingley.

Rhinos coach Rohan Smith gave four players – Lachie Miller, Matt Frawley, Andy Ackers and Mickael Goudemand – their unofficial debuts following their arrivals in the off-season.

France international Goudemand got on the scoresheet, whilst Cameron Smith scored in his first game since being appointed the club’s permanent captain.

As for Wakefield, new signings Myles Lawford and Lachlan Walmsley scored in their first appearances for Daryl Powell’s side.

Wakefield fans got the chance to see a number of their new recruits in action for the first time, including Iain Thornley, Thomas Doyle, Mathieu Cozza, Caleb Uele and Toby Boothroyd.

Leeds: Miller; Olpherts, J Smith, Roberts, Handley; Sinfield, Frawley; Sangare, Ackers, Goudemand, McDonnell, Gannon, C Smith. Subs: Lisone, Nicholson-Watton, O’Connor, Johnson, N McCormack, F McCormack, Lumb, Littlewood.

Tries: Roberts, J Smith, C Smith, Olpherts (2), Goudemand, Nicholson-Watton

Goals: Sinfield 6

Drop Goals: Sinfield 1

Wakefield: Jowitt; Franco, Thornley, Pratt, Walmsley; Hood, Lawford; Atoni, Doyle, Bowden, Ashurst, Griffin, Cozza. Subs: Uele, Boothroyd, Croft, Smith, Law, Delaney, Sinfield, Staveley-Carr.

Tries: Lawford, Ashurst, Jowitt, Walmsley

Goals: Jowitt 2, Walmsley 1

Keighley Cougars 10-46 Oldham

It was a good start to life as Oldham head coach for Sean Long, whose side ran riot against Keighley at Cougar Park.

The Roughyeds ran in nine tries against the Cougars, with Craig Kopczak, Logan Astley, Mo Agoro, Ted Chapelhow, Cian Tyrer and Ben O’Keefe all getting on the scoresheet for their new club.

Meanwhile, Keighley pair Jordan Schofield and Billy Walkley both scored for their new side.

Keighley: Thomas; Downey, Sa’u, Ryder, Walkley; Miller, Dean; Schofield, Kesik, Maher, Robson, Lanskey, Parker. Subs: Stead, Salkeld, Hatton, Lynam, Lambourne, Bailey, Pickersgill, Graham, Harlow-Stephenson.

Tries: Schofield, Walkley

Goals: Thomas 1

Oldham: Astley; M Turner, J Turner, O’Keefe, Agoro; Craven, Wildie; Kopczak, Aldridge, Farnworth, Wardle, Lawton, Taylor. Subs: T Chapelhow, Johnson, Morgan, Rawsthorne, Whittel, K Tyrer, Paga, Hirst, Moran, C Tyrer.

Tries: Kopczak, Astley, Moran, Agoro, T Chapelhow, Whittel, C Tyrer, Rawsthorne, O’Keefe

Goals: Craven 2, K Tyrer 3

Dewsbury Rams 12-12 Batley Bulldogs

The traditional Boxing Day Heavy Woollen derby ended all square at the FLAIR Stadium.

Dewsbury led 6-0 at the break thanks to a try from Ronan Dixon before Dale Ferguson’s side went 12-0 up shortly after the second half restart.

But the Bulldogs fought back in the final quarter thanks to efforts from Joe Burton and Luke Cooper, with the game finishing 12-all.

Dewsbury: Restall; Corion, O’Connor, Greensmith, Whiteley; Sykes, Turner; Beckett, Davies, Dixon, Graham, Summers, Dawson. Subs: Collinson, Carr, Walker, Russell, Field, Dixon, Walker.

Tries: Dixon, Collinson

Goals: Sykes 1, Turner 1

Batley: Butterworth; Morton, Senior, Burton, Kear; White, D Gibbons; Gledhill, Leak, Cooper, Manning, Buchanan, Blake. Subs: Burton, Ward, J Gibbons, Johnson, Chitakunye, Rhodes.

Tries: Burton, Cooper

Goals: D Gibbons 2

READ NEXT: 2024 rugby league pre-season friendlies, including dates, times & venues