Betfred Super League play-off eliminator

Leeds Rhinos (12) 14

Tries: Hankinson, McDonnell. Goals: Connor 3

St Helens (6) 16

Tries: Lomax, Bennison, Wright. Goals: Percival, Bennison.

Shane Wright scored with the final play of the game as St Helens snatched a sensational come-from-behind Super League play-off eliminator victory against Leeds Rhinos at a stunned Headingley.

It was not until after the final hooter sounded that Saints led, with the ball crossing from left to right and back again for Wright to finish as his side kept their hopes alive on the final tackle of the match.

It was a dramatic victory sealed at the end of an energy-sapping half that the visitors played without forward Matty Lees, who left midway through the game after his wife went into labour.

A superb James McDonnell try had sent Leeds into the break 12-6 up, after Jonny Lomax’s fortuitously created score for Saints had cancelled out Chris Hankinson’s opener for the hosts.

Leeds were wasteful in their relentless pursuit of more tries after the break, with a Jake Connor penalty all they had to show for long periods of dominance.

It did not prove to be enough, as Jon Bennison snatched a late touchdown to set up the stunning late turnaround which Wright completed at the end of the season’s most frantic and decisive moment so far.

The mesmerising finish with a 16-pass move that criss-crossed the pitch, and had Harry Robertson beat a number of tackles along the way, sets up a semi-final trip to Hull KR on Saturday, 4 October.

As Super League’s two most successful clubs, sharing 17 Grand Final wins between them, the showdown at Headingley between the fourth and fifth placed teams promised to enthral.

Both sides made a number of changes for the knockout tie, with Saints’ backs reshuffled after winger Kyle Feldt was injured in last week’s win against Castleford, while Leeds could again call on the prolific Ryan Hall and Man of Steel nominee Jake Connor.

Scrum-half Connor played a part in Leeds’ opening try, with the ball quickly shifted through the hands of Lachie Miller and Ash Handley before finding Hankinson to dive over.

The try from Hankinson, after he spilled a high ball at the other end to invite pressure on Leeds, summed up the chaotic nature of the opening exchanges.

A combination of luck and quick thinking had Saints pull level, after Curtis Sironen managed to take a high kick before then offloading for Morgan Knowles, who spilled the ball.

The forward, however, thrust a boot out to turn what seemed destined to be a knock-on into a sublime grubber kick for Lomax to finish.

McDonnell went on to restore Leeds’ advantage as he bobbed and weaved his way through three attempted tackles to touch down on the half-hour mark.

Lees’ departure at half-time left Saints short on the bench on a physically taxing night in West Yorkshire as Leeds piled forward in search of more tries after the break.

Leeds went on to waste a succession of chances to add to their lead, with a captain’s challenge from Saints also seeing a Handley try scrubbed off.

At the other end it took a try-saving shove from Connor to keep Bennison from crossing over on the hour mark.

But the winger would go on to pull a try back to give Saints hope with four minutes left after Connor had put the hosts eight points up with his penalty.

A Leeds penalty conceded for offside allowed Saints one last chance to salvage a memorable result, which Wright did for the club that gave his season renewed purpose after leaving financially-troubled side Salford on loan in August.

Leeds head coach Brad Arthur told BBC Radio Leeds:

“It’s shattering. I’m disappointed and I’m just shattered for the players because they have worked their backsides off all year and put a heap of effort into that and invested so much into the performance.

“I’m shattered for our fans who have invested so much into the team. It’s a cruel game sometimes.

“I don’t think we deserved for it to end like that, but it did and we have to deal with it. And it will be a tough pill to swallow for a while, but it’s going to have to make us better.”

St Helens full-back Tristan Sailor told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra:

“I don’t think it has sunk in yet, honestly. We nearly had the end of our season and we managed to get through and will go to Hull KR next week, and clean a few things up and be back better than ever.

“It’s just amazing from the boys and Shane Wright, in just his second game for the club scores the match-winner.

“There was definitely some frustration and we had some things that relieved pressure, but we stuck in there and got through in the end.”

Leeds: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Hankinson, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, O’Connor, Palasia, McDonnell, Gannon, Watkins.

Interchanges: Bentley, Lisone, Jenkins, Holroyd.

St Helens: Sailor, Bennison, Robertson, Percival, Cross, Welsby, Lomax, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles.

Interchanges: Mbye, Bell, Delaney, Wright.

Referee: Jack Smith.

More to follow.

Anthony McGill will play Shaun Murphy in the final of the British Open on Sunday after winning four consecutive frames to beat compatriot John Higgins.

Scotland’s McGill won 6-3 to reach his first final in eight years, while England’s Murphy breezed past defending champion Mark Selby 6-1.

McGill, who has slipped to 57th in the world and had reached his first semi-final in nearly three years, was the underdog against the four-time world champion currently ranked sixth.

But the 34-year-old was delighted to record his third professional win over Higgins in nine meetings, having trailed 2-1 and 3-2.

“It’s fantastic win for me because John is a legend,” McGill said after reaching his fourth ranking final.

“This will be the biggest final of my career. In the last couple of years I have won hardly any matches so this is a huge week for me.”

From a career high of 12, McGill had even been in danger of relegation from the tour, but he is already guaranteed a return to the top 50.

When Higgins took the fifth frame with a break of 111, the former world champion looked to be in the groove.

However, McGill proved the steadier of the two and a 104 break in the eighth and a 93 break in the ninth secured victory.

In, Saturday’s other semi-final, Murphy was looking to end a 26-month drought without a ranking title. The 43-year-old got off to a superb start against four-time world champion Selby, winning the first three frames.

Selby fought back to take the fourth frame with a break of 123, but Murphy soon regained control.

He won a tense fifth frame, coming from 54-0 down, before wrapping the match up with a break of 93 to book his place in Sunday’s showpiece.