After beating the league leaders Hull FC last weekend the Rhinos had another high-flyer in their sights as a Wigan Warriors side looking for a win to return to the top of the pile, visited Headingley.

A win for the Rhinos could see them up to tenth, and off the bottom for the first time in weeks, as the bottom four clubs jostle for position and four home fixtures heading into the middle eights.

Both sides were without their captains, McGuire injured for Leeds and O'Loughlin suspended for Wigan. Wigan have won both meeting so far this season and were clear favourites to make it three in a rematch of last seasons Grand Final.

It was a lively opening ten minutes before the Rhinos took the lead when Kallum Watkins bust the Wigan line from twenty metres, and then took four tacklers over the line with him to ground under a heap of players. Liam Sutcliffe added the extra two for 6-0.

Four minutes later and Josh Charnley opened the Warriors account when he picked up a pinpoint George Williams kick to the corner to walk over the line without a Rhinos hand on him. Matty Smith was wide with the conversion.

For the remainder of the first half the play became increasingly scrappy with handling errors coupled with strong defences keeping both sides scoreless.

Five minutes into the second half and a dogged run by Carl Ablett saw him draw in the defence before offloading to Adam Cuthbertson to go through a gap and dive over behind the sticks. Sutcliffe added the extras for 12-4.

On sixty-five the Rhinos extended their lead when a Rob Burrow high kick to the corner was knocked back by Jimmy Keinhorst into the hands of Brett Ferres who grounded from a metre away. Sutcliffe added the extras for 18-4 and with thirteen minutes left they looked like they would be lifting off the bottom of the table.

On sixty-nine Jack Higginson threw Wigan a lifeline when he took a Charnley pass to skirt outside the Leeds defence and score wide left. Matty Smith kicked brilliantly from the touchline for 18-10. Two minutes later and Wigan were back within two points when George Williams jinked his way through a broken Rhinos defence to score by the uprights. Smith kicked the extras for 16-18.

For the remaining ten minutes the Rhinos had to give everything in defence to hold on for the win, defeating a top of the table side for the second week running and boosting their confidence ahead of the middle eights. The Warriors missed the chance to go two points clear at the top.

Rhinos: Sutcliffe (3G), Briscoe, Watkins (T), Moon, Hall, Lilley, Burrow, Galloway, Segeyaro, Singleton, Achurch, Ablett, Jones-Buchanan. Subs: Cuthbertson (T), Delaney, Keinhorst, Ferres (T).

Warriors: Tierney, Charnley (T), Gildart, Sarginson, Manfredi, Williams (T), Smith (2G), Bretherton, Powell, Flower, Sutton, Isa, Mossop. Subs: Tautai, Nuuausala, Shorrocks, Higginson (T).

Referee: Rob Hicks.

Attendance: