Rhinos stunned hot favourites and league leaders St Helens with an incredible 24-16 victory at a rain-swept Old Trafford last night.

Lee Smith was the unlikely hero for Rhinos, scoring their first try and winning the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match.

Smith was switched to full-back, from the wing, in place of the injured Brent Webb and turned in a faultless performance which will surely earn him a place in England's World Cup squad.

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Rhinos trailed early, but led 12-6 at the break and hit back twice in the second half after Saints looked to be getting back in the game.

Man of Steel James Graham's fifth-minute try gave Saints the perfect start, but it was a rare moment of joy for the Merseyside outfit.

After tight opening exchanges, Lee Gilmour burst past Kylie Leuluai from Sean Long's pass before working a one-two with Paul Wellens and then offloading out of Scott Donald's tackle to Graham, who powered jubilantly over. Long added the extras.

Rhinos had an opportunity when Ade Gardner dropped Rob Burrow's high kick into touch near the Saints line, but Danny McGuire was penalised for obstruction on the first tackle from the scrum.

Another penalty carried Saints – who were unchanged from the qualifying semi-final win over Rhinos – almost to the Leeds line, but Matt Gidley was tackled into touch just short by Scott Donald and Matt Diskin.

Rhinos weathered the early storm and hit back to level on 23 minutes.
A foul by Long on Smith carried Leeds up field, Burrow's pass found Jamie Jones-Buchanan and he offloaded superbly to Smith, who burst past Gidley and took Wellens and Chris Flannery over the line with him.

Kevin Sinfield landed a magnificent conversion off the touchline.

Ryan Hall – who had played just one reserve game since breaking a foot in July – came in on the right wing to take Smith's original place and remarkably, the 20-year-old rookie grabbed the try which edged Leeds ahead three minutes before the break.

Sinfield's speculative pass was flicked on by Keith Senior to Hall, who kicked ahead and then ran through to touch down, video referee Ben Thaler giving the green light.

Sinfield's kick from wide out hit a post and rebounded in to give Leeds a 12-6 interval lead.

Sky's dressing room camera showed Saints' departing coach Daniel Anderson giving his players the hairdryer treatment during the break and his harsh words brought an immediate response with an equalising score just two minutes into the second half.

Referee Ashley Klein missed a knock-on at a play-the-ball and the error was costly for Leeds as Gardner palmed Long's high kick to Gidley, who got over despite Matt Diskin's last-ditch tackle, Long landing a towering conversion.

The lead lasted seven minutes and again Smith played a vital role for Leeds – his 40-20 kick giving Rhinos a scrum in a great attacking position.

The defending champions made it count as, after Burrow almost ducked through, McGuire got on the end of Sinfield's perfect grubber kick between the posts, the Leeds skipper tagging on the extras to make it 18-12.

Ali Lauitiiti was penalised for passing off the floor, then Saints forced a goal line drop out. Nick Fozzard's barnstorming run almost took him over, then Long and Leon Pryce worked the ball to James Roby, but Hall wrapped him up on the final tackle.

More terrific defence stopped Graham agonisingly close, but Saints' pressure told with 21 minutes left when a penalty – for McGuire's high shot on Wellens – gave them a piggyback, they got a repeat set off Gareth Ellis' hand and then Keiron Cunningham and Gidley fed Roby and his pass was finished off by Gardner, too far out for Long to convert.

Again, Leeds hit straight back. They targeted Meli with kicks all night and on 63 minutes he dropped Sinfield's bomb, McGuire picked up and somehow found a way through to the line, with Sinfield's conversion making it 24-16.

The re-start went out on the full – Rhinos' only penalty of the half, but they couldn't take advantage as Long's tackle forced Jones-Buchanan into touch.

Some dubious penalty decisions gave Saints field position as the tension mounted, but Rhinos' defence held firm and a Carl Ablett clean break almost succeeded with six minutes left.

That chance was one of the few Rhinos created that didn't bring them a try, but on the subsequent attack Ling sent a cross kick into touch and the league leaders' last chance was gone.

It was the perfect send off for Rhinos second-row Ellis, playing his final game before joining Aussie side Wests Tigers and for prop Nick Scruton, now heading for Bradford Bulls.

LEEDS RHINOS: Smith, Hall, Ablett, Senior, Donald, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Sinfield. Subs: Lauitiiti, Bailey, Scruton, Kirke.

ST HELENS: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Graham, Cunningham, Hargreaves, Gilmour, Wilkin, Flannery. Subs: Roby, Fozzard, Clough, Fa'asavalu.

REFEREE: Ashley Klein (Keighley).