:00:12. > :00:17.This weather, this time of year? We could almost be in Sydney. But we
:00:17. > :00:27.are not. We are in Runcorn. But we have got some great rugby league to
:00:27. > :00:52.
:00:52. > :00:58.It is not far from out Runcorn Bridge that St Helens had been
:00:58. > :01:03.playing their home matches this season, at Widnes' stadium. Their
:01:03. > :01:06.broad ground closed at the end of last year, and this will be their
:01:06. > :01:11.magnificent new residents. It will not be ready until the start of
:01:11. > :01:15.next season. They might be coming here as champions. They are only 80
:01:15. > :01:21.minutes away from a grand final. But they have to beat macro Wycombe
:01:21. > :01:27.for a second time. Highlight of that much coming up a very soon.
:01:27. > :01:37.That remind ourselves of what happened last week. -- let's remind
:01:37. > :02:14.
:02:14. > :02:18.-- it is Wigan up by a landslide. It was the end of the road for the
:02:18. > :02:28.men from pepping on last week after a bruising encounter with the
:02:28. > :02:40.
:02:40. > :02:44.has changed a bit in recent years. Here is a man who used to play here.
:02:44. > :02:54.Jonathan Davies. He has changed a bit as well. Here is what they used
:02:54. > :03:02.to look like 20 years ago. sidestep! He is going for the line.
:03:02. > :03:11.It is back to Davies. That is magnificent rugby. He is still as
:03:11. > :03:17.handsome. You have changed! Just a little. What about this play-off
:03:17. > :03:23.series? Last week, we had a couple of good games. They have been a
:03:23. > :03:29.little bit one-sided. But the best sides have come to the fore. That
:03:29. > :03:33.is what everyone wants. It is a long season, but the top four have
:03:33. > :03:37.had opportunities to go through. That is what has happened. They
:03:37. > :03:45.looked very good last week, we can. They had a hiccup in the previous
:03:45. > :03:48.week, but they have regrouped. The forwards look very powerful. You
:03:48. > :03:55.have Tomkins's chipping in from the back. They are a very good side.
:03:55. > :04:00.They have won a trophy in the Cabinet as much -- already. Leeds
:04:00. > :04:06.are in great form at the moment. They have got great players.
:04:06. > :04:10.Disappointing finish to the season, but I think the Challenge Cup final
:04:10. > :04:14.really inspired them bus-stop although they lost, they played
:04:14. > :04:17.particularly well. From that game, I think they have kicked on. That
:04:17. > :04:25.is the game we are going to concentrate on, the first play-off
:04:25. > :04:28.game at of this weekend. Leeds against Warrington.
:04:28. > :04:32.Warrington are 6-1 with the bookmakers to beat Leeds. After
:04:32. > :04:37.their demolition of Huddersfield a fortnight ago, it is easy to see
:04:37. > :04:44.why Tony Smith's men are such heavy favourites. But the rhino's head
:04:44. > :04:47.into this fixture on the back of a poor match unbeaten run. -- four
:04:47. > :04:57.match unbeaten run. They know what it takes to win sudden-death
:04:57. > :05:01.
:05:01. > :05:11.matches at the business end of the the earlier rounds is over. Tonight,
:05:11. > :05:16.
:05:16. > :05:26.they go to it -- the winners go to all -- Old Trafford. Macro west
:05:26. > :05:30.
:05:30. > :05:35.would, out for six weeks with a knee injury, makes a welcome return.
:05:35. > :05:45.Delaney moved to the second row. Hauraki comes back to the
:05:45. > :05:58.
:05:58. > :06:01.They were lucky. So much indecision. All it wanted was a call, my ball.
:06:01. > :06:11.I was about to mention the fact that the kicking game will be
:06:11. > :06:28.
:06:28. > :06:38.needed to pass Mowbray stop he delayed the pass a little bit too
:06:38. > :06:55.
:06:55. > :07:05.Warrington in these first 20 There was another man clinging to
:07:05. > :07:32.
:07:32. > :07:42.to score, they are now dependent on recent weeks has been great. Kevin
:07:42. > :07:49.
:07:49. > :07:56.Sinfield has scored in the last 39 snatching the trifle stop superb
:07:56. > :08:06.effort and been Leeds fans go wild on the terraces. Fabulous vision,
:08:06. > :08:14.fabulous try. This is great vision up from Danny McGuire. All he has
:08:14. > :08:24.to do is run through the gap and Ablett gets a freebie for four pts.
:08:24. > :09:02.
:09:02. > :09:06.Great finish. Great kick from The Leeds defender it was there,
:09:06. > :09:16.but not building the right amount of pressure at the moment,
:09:16. > :09:16.
:09:16. > :09:57.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:09:57. > :10:07.the walls. -- first try for Warrington. Good jumping, a good
:10:07. > :10:10.
:10:10. > :10:20.kick, good try. Great kick from up lead prayers. -- great kick from
:10:20. > :10:20.
:10:20. > :11:17.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:11:17. > :11:24.Briers. That is a terrific last screaming down the alt side. He
:11:25. > :11:34.just had to find Atkins, but he could not. Brian McDermott seems
:11:35. > :12:04.
:12:04. > :12:10.scoring rate of one in every match he plays. You put all that there,
:12:10. > :12:19.he is just brilliant, Monaghan, for this team. He knew there would be a
:12:19. > :12:29.blue and yellow jumper there to finish it off. Chris Bridge adds
:12:29. > :12:45.
:12:45. > :12:51.another. Warrington take the lead the winner. 112 points are scored
:12:51. > :12:58.in their normal Superleague matches. It does not give any indication.
:12:58. > :13:02.They will fight for everything. We have seen desperation on both sides.
:13:02. > :13:07.It was non-stop, that first half. I am expecting a lot more points in
:13:07. > :13:10.the second half. I would think Brian McDermott, the Leeds coach,
:13:10. > :13:20.would be very happy to have contained Warrington's normally
:13:20. > :13:29.
:13:29. > :13:39.attacking approach in the first well smile. Ryan Hall, surely a man
:13:39. > :13:41.
:13:41. > :13:49.to grace the England side in the four-nations tournament in November.
:13:49. > :13:56.Grix finds the wrong man. He gets Ryan Hall and he is in the clear.
:13:56. > :14:06.Great four point from Leeds. Break starting the second half. Here we
:14:06. > :14:06.
:14:06. > :14:49.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:14:49. > :14:59.points. Leeds are' record points- smashes his way through three
:14:59. > :15:08.
:15:08. > :15:13.from Briers, giving them the good position for the penalty. The ball
:15:13. > :15:19.over the top two Matt King. Three defenders, he can't score, he
:15:19. > :15:29.mustn't score... He does! He's 6 foot 4 and strong. Unless you get
:15:29. > :16:07.
:16:07. > :16:13.the right grip on him, he'll do the corner, and Leeds are back
:16:13. > :16:18.again. Warrington just can't get away. What a try. I put it all down
:16:18. > :16:23.to Rob Burrow. He's like a snake. Only the fullback to beat. Dai
:16:23. > :16:28.Maguire, he's always going to get to the corner, he has to. Atkins
:16:28. > :16:34.and Monaghan get back. He has the wherewithal to fire the ball to
:16:34. > :16:38.Ryan Hall for the try. Here he goes, we have seen as so many times. He's
:16:38. > :16:48.off to the races. He beats wryly. Maguire, every day of the week.
:16:48. > :17:27.
:17:27. > :17:37.Atkinson does brilliantly to catch off. We can restart the argument
:17:37. > :17:56.
:17:56. > :18:01.Burrow, under the posts. The Leeds fans can hardly believe it. They
:18:01. > :18:07.are rank outsiders to win the Super League final. But here they are,
:18:07. > :18:11.put in their climbdown. Another fantastic spread play from Leeds.
:18:12. > :18:16.The architect in chief, Rob Burrow. Brent Webb puts the afterburners on.
:18:16. > :18:26.Rob Burrow was already dead. All he has to do was pass to him and he
:18:26. > :18:31.
:18:31. > :18:41.finishes under the sticks. -- Rob inside. You ain't going to catch
:18:41. > :18:45.
:18:45. > :18:51.beneath the posts. Leeds take the lead again. Warrington have beaten
:18:51. > :19:01.Leeds by 42-six and 40-24 in normal league games. But they are
:19:01. > :19:01.
:19:01. > :20:20.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:20:20. > :20:30.again, but surely he can't get is over for his second try of the
:20:30. > :20:41.
:20:41. > :20:45.night! Beatable work from Lee How good was that? May be a tough
:20:45. > :20:55.call on well Hardaker. It gives Chris Riley a clear run into the
:20:55. > :20:55.
:20:55. > :22:18.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:22:18. > :22:28.That is a tough decision. He spins around, doesn't he? This is a
:22:28. > :22:57.
:22:57. > :23:07.Hall! Surely... Is he in at the corner for a hat-trick of tries? He
:23:07. > :23:14.
:23:14. > :23:24.is checking the knock-on with Rob knock-on. She doesn't want to look!
:23:24. > :23:50.
:23:50. > :24:00.Scrum defence. Still, the saga goes penalty! What a decision! He has
:24:00. > :24:35.
:24:35. > :24:45.stopped the clock. REFEREE: You're Kevin Sinfield! Will he be the hero
:24:45. > :24:47.
:24:47. > :24:51.of the night? A two point lead. Barely two minutes remaining. A sad
:24:51. > :24:57.occasion for the Warrington fans. But Leeds are the winners! A
:24:57. > :25:01.wonderful effort by Leeds. Leeds have turned the form book over.
:25:01. > :25:05.They have been playing well, they have come here and been the better
:25:05. > :25:08.team on the night. They'd executed well, taking their opportunities on
:25:08. > :25:13.the counter-punch. You have to say that they are worthy winners, what
:25:13. > :25:18.a game. Great effort from both teams. Heartbreaking but those fans.
:25:18. > :25:22.But Leeds are through to Old Trafford and the Super League final
:25:22. > :25:26.by 26-24. The early rounds of the play-off system, people have been
:25:26. > :25:31.talking about the blow-out scores, I don't think they are. But they
:25:31. > :25:35.have been some 40s. They are thinking that a bad thing. But not
:25:35. > :25:38.too long ago we thought Super League was brilliant because there
:25:38. > :25:44.are a lot of tries scored. The only reason people are saying it is
:25:44. > :25:47.wrong is because we are playing and comparing it to the NRL. But they
:25:47. > :25:51.have different players, trained differently, with different
:25:52. > :25:54.resources. To try to compare them, I don't think any part of the play-
:25:55. > :26:01.off system has been negative. The fact we have been fit and got group
:26:01. > :26:04.to the final is another shot in the arm for the Super League. They are
:26:04. > :26:12.tenacious and they deserve to win on the night. We were made to pay
:26:12. > :26:16.for some of that sloppiness that we are not usually used to. I was
:26:16. > :26:22.pleased with the efforts of the boys. We hung in there. We were
:26:22. > :26:27.playing a bit busted, and all that sort of stuff. We took some risks.
:26:27. > :26:31.Leeds deserved it on the day. Congratulations to them. You are in
:26:31. > :26:37.the Grand Final. As I understand it, it could be your last match in
:26:37. > :26:43.Leeds colours? I just announced that I'll be heading to Newcastle.
:26:43. > :26:49.I've got to thank Gary Hetherington at the Rhinos for letting me do
:26:49. > :26:52.that. I'm going to finish of one last season at my home town club. I
:26:52. > :26:56.was there for 15 years. I had only signed for two years and it wasn't
:26:57. > :27:02.long enough, really. I've been here for three. My family has loved it.
:27:02. > :27:05.It's been one hell of a ride. It's the only reason for going back for
:27:05. > :27:13.the second phase of my life, going back to prepare for life after
:27:13. > :27:18.Do what you like Wigan at Old Trafford to avenge that defeat at
:27:18. > :27:22.Wembley? We are not bothered, really. We are 80 minutes away.
:27:22. > :27:26.We've given ourselves the opportunity to lift a good cup. To
:27:26. > :27:31.beat a good side on their own patch, it gives us confidence. Whoever we
:27:31. > :27:35.get, we look forward to next Saturday. Wow, what a game and what
:27:35. > :27:39.a performance by Leeds. The first side outside of the top three to
:27:39. > :27:44.make the Grand Final. Kevin Sinfield's confidence is well
:27:44. > :27:54.placed? We mentioned next -- last week, with Leeds, their top players
:27:54. > :27:55.
:27:55. > :27:59.half-backs are crucial. The blood and guts of the forwards against
:27:59. > :28:02.Warrington. They have been the form side, especially at home. But with
:28:02. > :28:07.all of the key players having significant roles, they are the
:28:07. > :28:11.form side at the moment. Looking at Sinfield, he says, yes. They can
:28:11. > :28:18.bring any one arm. They'd been there before, they know how to play
:28:18. > :28:23.The top team hadn't made it to Old Trafford, the 5th team has. What
:28:23. > :28:28.does that say about the play-offs? The top four, deservedly, had a
:28:28. > :28:32.second chance. But Leeds knew what they had to do. Everybody knew the
:28:32. > :28:35.situation at the start of the season. They have gone there and
:28:35. > :28:40.played knockout rugby. They have got to the final. It is all about
:28:40. > :28:45.peaking at the right time. Leeds have done that. You have to feel
:28:45. > :28:50.sorry for Warrington. They have been fantastic all season. To fail
:28:50. > :28:53.at the final hurdle, extraordinary? On the day, the top four, anybody
:28:53. > :28:58.can beat each other. You've got to perform on the day. I think they've
:28:58. > :29:01.scored some great tries. They'd been so entertaining. But after
:29:01. > :29:07.dropping out of the Challenge Cup, I thought this was there a year.
:29:07. > :29:16.Unfortunately, they lost to a better side. We know that Leeds are
:29:16. > :29:20.in a bad brand final. Who will they There can be few secrets left
:29:20. > :29:24.behind her -- between these two Lancashire heavy weights. Saints
:29:24. > :29:28.have won only one of the previous five meetings. But that was a
:29:28. > :29:33.fortnight ago, when victory on the Warriors's home turf and sheared a
:29:33. > :29:36.week off and home advantage, of sorts. But the reigning Super
:29:36. > :29:41.League champions looked in fine fettle when thumping the Catalan
:29:41. > :29:51.Dragons to set up this rematch with their fiercest rivals. As we have
:29:51. > :29:55.
:29:55. > :29:58.just seen, Leeds await the winners makes it a potent combination.
:29:58. > :30:08.Meditate grand final place up for grabs and you increase the
:30:08. > :30:14.intensity took eye-watering level. No Leon Pryce for St Helens. He
:30:14. > :30:20.would have been on the bench, but he has a stomach upset. Lomax and
:30:20. > :30:30.Gaskell will face possibly their biggest test of character tonight.
:30:30. > :30:30.
:30:30. > :31:46.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:31:46. > :31:56.pressure. That is the first mistake is penalised. I don't think he was
:31:56. > :32:12.
:32:12. > :32:22.square. Michael Maguire, the supporters. Wigan have the first
:32:22. > :32:22.
:32:22. > :33:13.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:33:14. > :33:21.collected by Charnley. A defensive blue blur. -- defensive mistake.
:33:22. > :33:31.Wigan have their opening try. Changed direction. Lovely kick.
:33:31. > :33:41.There was the mistake. It is finch that changes direction. River Wye's
:33:41. > :33:42.
:33:42. > :34:36.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:34:36. > :34:42.grubber kick. The bounce favoured a possession. Great play by young
:34:42. > :34:52.Tomkins. He does not commit to Gaskell. He stays off and allows
:34:52. > :34:57.
:34:57. > :35:07.game. But when you have got momentum, you were going to get
:35:07. > :35:16.
:35:16. > :35:26.the magic pairing. One provides, the other scores. Lee Gaskell this
:35:26. > :35:26.
:35:26. > :35:36.time. St Helens are back in it. Just watch the dummy run. Great
:35:36. > :35:36.
:35:36. > :36:32.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:36:32. > :36:42.stuff the Paul Manning by St Helens. the first time, St Helens have the
:36:42. > :36:42.
:36:42. > :37:32.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:37:32. > :37:41.The referee has given it. He was not held. The man from the
:37:41. > :37:45.interchange bench has Malta we come into the lead again. -- has
:37:45. > :37:55.involved Wigan into the lead again. He should have been tackled there.
:37:55. > :37:56.
:37:56. > :38:00.They do not complete the tackle. He just a roll as Rover and scores.
:38:00. > :38:10.gave away a penalty that gave St Helens of two points, but he has
:38:10. > :38:43.
:38:43. > :38:48.Williams came closer. -- Wellens came closer. There is no way he
:38:48. > :38:58.could have been on side. He should be in the bin. That is a yellow
:38:58. > :38:58.
:38:58. > :39:50.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
:39:50. > :39:55.He belatedly gave the knock-on. I am presuming that was from the
:39:55. > :40:04.shout of his touch judge. He lost it, but did he go back? The tackle
:40:04. > :40:08.was complete, lost the ball. Tomkins is really struggling. He
:40:09. > :40:18.went into that scrum as loose forward and Farrell depended on the
:40:19. > :40:53.
:40:53. > :41:01.after his latest encounter with the he might have scored. The referee
:41:01. > :41:11.gives the try! Paul Wellens, his 200th Korea try. What tonight to
:41:11. > :41:11.
:41:11. > :41:17.score it. Against his oldest rivals and in a grand final semi-final.
:41:17. > :41:24.The he was limping. He was never going to get there. Lovely kick,
:41:24. > :41:34.good chase by Paul Wellens. Roby puts it through. The bounce of the
:41:34. > :42:04.
:42:04. > :42:14.Interesting to see whether they will go for the two points. He is a
:42:14. > :42:15.
:42:15. > :42:25.phenomenal Kippur, Jamie Foster. -- kicker. He has added another two.
:42:25. > :42:33.
:42:33. > :42:42.They are getting closer to Old messing about their. This is the
:42:42. > :42:49.opportunity. They will get a full set in the Wigan half. They are
:42:49. > :42:54.walking back, the Wigan forwards. They have given it everything.
:42:54. > :42:59.body language, as Jonathan says, of the Wigan team just looks a little
:42:59. > :43:06.weary at the moment. It is a side that has played more games than any
:43:06. > :43:16.other in the modern era. Every single round. No team has done it
:43:16. > :43:44.
:43:44. > :43:52.as tough as Wigan has done it. But The place is going mad. St Helens
:43:52. > :43:59.fans feel that that is a very significant moment on the night and
:43:59. > :44:09.in their season. They overload the short side. A great ball.
:44:09. > :44:13.
:44:13. > :44:23.Absolutely magnificent ball. That is very clever played. Royce
:44:23. > :45:01.
:45:01. > :45:11.Simmons, the coach, loves it. He has beaten him. A desperate dive.
:45:11. > :45:41.
:45:41. > :45:51.was his shoulder. It's a man's game! I think you will find it is a
:45:51. > :46:08.
:46:08. > :46:13.from the Grand Final. James Roby! He has taken St Helens to way sixth
:46:13. > :46:18.Grand Final in a row. Wigan are defeated and dejected. St Helens
:46:18. > :46:25.have done it the hard way. They are joining Leeds at Old Trafford.
:46:25. > :46:31.James Roby has shown them the way to get there. Only one market. So
:46:31. > :46:41.fast, so strong. Only one winner. Just out of the blocks like a
:46:41. > :46:49.
:46:49. > :46:56.rocket. So powerful. No centre of Relatively simple, but if he puts
:46:56. > :47:06.it over... Wigan are three scores behind now. -- big cake. Surely
:47:06. > :47:22.
:47:22. > :47:30.still a glimmer of hope. But four minutes, you would put it as almost
:47:30. > :47:40.impossible. Not almost impossible, impossible. Royce Simmons is
:47:40. > :48:18.
:48:18. > :48:28.backed away two score margin. He dashed back to wait two score
:48:28. > :48:42.
:48:42. > :48:46.Final, unprecedented. Andy Coley tries the impossible. There is the
:48:46. > :48:51.countdown. That countdown to Old Trafford. St Helens are in the
:48:51. > :48:54.Grand Final for the sixth year in a row. But the booed this year has
:48:55. > :48:59.been the toughest of them all, surely. They have done it
:48:59. > :49:05.fantastically well. The Maguire era at Wigan ends in disappointment.
:49:05. > :49:15.But what a couple of years he has had as a coach. Keiron Cunningham
:49:15. > :49:17.
:49:17. > :49:23.and St Helens are through to the If you said to me early in the air,
:49:23. > :49:26.you are going to lose up to 11 or 12 players, door numbers one and
:49:26. > :49:32.two aren't going to be available, you are going to be in the Grand
:49:32. > :49:37.Final, we would have grabbed the top four or five. Even top eight.
:49:37. > :49:42.That is credit to the blokes. The thing about St Helens is that they
:49:42. > :49:46.believe in themselves so much. The blokes in the club, they expect to
:49:46. > :49:50.win. They don't expect to run second. It has been a tough season,
:49:50. > :49:54.he played in every round you could have played in. Was that a factor
:49:54. > :49:58.in the end? I don't think so. The way we played last week, we found
:49:58. > :50:01.ourselves again and started performing. Credit to St Helens,
:50:01. > :50:05.they performed. They took everything we could throw at them.
:50:05. > :50:12.We had chances in the game that went by. We had to dig ourselves
:50:12. > :50:21.out of a few things in the second half. How special a moment was that
:50:21. > :50:29.try? Great. It was made aware to me in the week that it would have been
:50:29. > :50:32.my 200th. Against Leeds, what are you expecting? The last few times
:50:32. > :50:37.that Leeds and St Helens have played in a Grand Final, Leeds have
:50:37. > :50:42.won. A lot of those players will be playing again. A lot of big-time
:50:42. > :50:45.players, they'd been in tremendous form for a while now. For the
:50:45. > :50:49.second half of the Challenge Cup, they started to get a little bit of
:50:49. > :50:54.form. A lot of the senior players have got a bit of time under their
:50:54. > :51:04.belt, they are starting to get into a bit of a rhythm. You know, it
:51:04. > :51:08.
:51:08. > :51:12.their way through the play-offs. That is the Grand Final next week.
:51:12. > :51:21.Leeds against St Helens. He would have thought it? Third against 5th.
:51:21. > :51:24.But there is no arguing with either Two great games, Wigan gave it
:51:24. > :51:29.everything in the last few minutes. They tackled well, came back at
:51:29. > :51:34.them. Every opportunity that St Helens had, they scored. Clever
:51:34. > :51:38.play, they realised that Tomkins was injured. Guscott and Lomax
:51:38. > :51:44.played exceptionally well. You know, they have struggled at half-back
:51:44. > :51:50.for England. Great Britain. So, why not give them a crack? I think they
:51:50. > :51:57.could be the future half-backs for the next five or 10 years. James
:51:57. > :52:01.Roby was magnificent. They deserved to get to the final. It's a
:52:01. > :52:05.fantastic achievement by Royce Simmons. He has had key players
:52:05. > :52:09.missing for more or less the whole season. But they have kept plugging
:52:09. > :52:13.away and got their rewards? They have given youngsters an
:52:13. > :52:16.opportunity. You know, it has paid dividends at the end of the season.
:52:16. > :52:19.They gained experience and confidence or of the way through.
:52:19. > :52:24.You always felt they could win, especially after beating them a
:52:24. > :52:29.couple of weeks ago. They have come through and deserve to be in the
:52:29. > :52:34.final. Leeds, since the Challenge Cup, they have been back at us and.
:52:34. > :52:39.They have had settled belief. -- self belief. Both sides will think
:52:39. > :52:45.they can win it, it could be a classic final. Wigan and Warrington
:52:45. > :52:49.are left to lick their wounds. He would have thought that? Here is a
:52:49. > :52:54.reminder of what we have to look forward to next week. The Grand
:52:55. > :52:58.Final, 4:30pm on next Sunday, 9th October. It's going to be an
:52:58. > :53:03.absolute classic. And the Rugby League rolls on in the autumn as
:53:03. > :53:07.well. 29th October, the Four Nations coverage starts. Live
:53:07. > :53:14.coverage of England against Wales and highlights of Australia and New
:53:14. > :53:18.There is lots more international rugby league to look forward to as