The Rhinos had a bike to get back on after last weeks thrashing by the Warrington Wolves, and that bike was located at a resurgent Huddersfield Giants, the graveyard of recent Rhinos aspirations.

Brian McDermott sprung a surprise and dropped skipper Sinfield after his 500th club appearance last week, but welcomed back Jones-Buchanan after a long injury lay-off.

It was first against fourth, and the best attack against the best defence. It was always going to be the fixture of the round and we weren't disappointed.

It was the dream start for the home side when Danny Brough dropped the shoulder and went through a non-existent Leeds defensive line to go thirty metres before finding the Joe Wardle to go under the sticks. Danny Brough slotted over the extras and the Leeds players stood hands on hips and tried to work out what had hit them.

Leeds were level on the quarter hour when Brett Delaney opened his 2015 account after juggling, catching and diving over. Sutcliffe goaled, as he did seven minutes later when Leeds punished Giants indiscipline with Jamie Peacock going close before Ablett backed over the line and managed to ground the ball.

The lead was up to 18-6 on the half-hour when Joel Moon stepped past three players to score after Hardaker had gone close. Five minutes later and Watkins added another four pointer as he dove over in the right corner to score a spectacular try off a Jimmy Keinhorst pass. Sutcliffe failed to goal and when Brough kicked a penalty on the stroke of half time the sides went into the sheds at 8-22 with the Rhinos appearing totally in command.

And never has there been such a clear game of two halves as it was the home side who dominated in the second half and who can count themselves as unlucky not to have secured the win.

On fifty-eight, after dominating possession and position throughout the second half, Michael Lawrence pushed his way over and made Brough's goal an easy one. On sixty-three a high Brough kick was pushed forward by McGillvary and the Giants winger collected the ball to ground. Brough failed with the conversion attempt.

Three minutes later and the Giants made it three tries in an eight minute spell when poor Rhinos discipline gave the home side ground and Wardle crashed over under the sticks. Brough's boot gave the Giants the lead at 24-22, the first time they'd been on top since the fourteenth minute.

It looked like the fightback of the season but the Rhinos dug deep and from somewhere they found the strength to move downfield and when Wardle was offside at the play the ball Leeds went frontier two points from the boot of Liam Sutcliffe to draw level.

Sutcliffe skewed a drop-goal attempt wide on seventy-eight and Brough failed to find the goal area with his attempted drop a minute later and the game finished in near anarchy as Peacock hacked the ball forwards for Leeds and it ended up in the hands of Rob Burrow just metres from the line before he was wrapped up by the Giants scrambling defence.

It will be the Giants who will feel as though they found a penny but lost a pound. After Leeds had established a commanding lead at half time the home side dominated the second half and should have secured the points. The Rhinos got away with a draw and extended their lead at the top of the table, at least until the Warriors and the Saints play their Round 13 matches. The Giants are up to fourth and looking worthy of a top four finish.

Giants: Grix, McGillvary, Cudjoe, Connor, Murphy, Brough, Ellis, Mullally, Wood, Huby, Wardle, Hughes, Taia. Subs: Crabtree, Lawrence, Kopczak, Leeming.

Rhinos: Hardaker, Watkins, Keinhorst, Moon, Handley, McGuire, Sutcliffe, Cuthbertson, Aiton, Peacock, Ablett, Delaney, Jones-Buchanan. Subs: Burrow, Singleton, Achurch, Mulhern


Referee: Richard Silverwood
Attendance: 6,831