Rugby League Coaching Manuals

Sporting Life - Hull KR scrum-half Michael Dobson landed a last-minute drop goal to deny Bradford victory as a thrilling Super League finish at Odsal saw the sides draw 13-13 on Sunday.

Bulls captain Paul Deacon claimed a drop goal of his own with two minutes remaining to edge his side 13-12 ahead but Dobson had the final stay in the dying embers of the game.

Rovers were on course for a hard-earned victory at half-time after establishing a 12-10 interval advantage through two tries from Peter Fox and two goals from Dobson.

They were forced to defend doggedly for the majority of the game but the Bulls, who also touched down twice in the first half through Semi Tadulala and Chris Nero, dominated the second period.

Deacon levelled the scores with 10 minutes remaining and then seized centre stage again with his drop goal before Dobson struck from distance to ensure the honours were shared.

The game was marred by injuries to Jamie Langley and David Solomona - both dislocated their shoulders it was revealed afterwards.

A try in each half from former Castleford stand-off Luke Dorn on his return to The Jungle gave Harlequins RL a 12-8 victory in their season-opener.

The Tigers led through debutant James Evans until just before half-time, but an effort just before the interval and a try seconds after the break gave the Quins a two-try lead.

And despite the best efforts of last season's bottom club, who grabbed a late consolation through Richard Owen, they never recovered.

On Saturday, Huddersfield gave Nathan Brown a dream start to his Super League coaching career with a 30-8 rout of last year's surprise package Catalans Dragons in Perpignan.

Former Salford, Widnes and Bradford second rower Simon Finnigan marked his Giants debut with a try in either half as the Yorkshiremen gained their revenge for last year's 48-0 thrashing at the Gilbert Brutus Stadium.

Thomas Bosc gave the French side the lead with a 10th-minute penalty and he scored their only try in the second half but the Dragons finished a well-beaten side in coach Kevin Walters' first match in charge.

Australian full-back Tony Duggan scored his 100th try in English rugby league but it was not enough to prevent new boys Celtic Crusaders going down to a 28-16 defeat at Salford.

The 30-year-old Duggan, who scored the Crusaders' first-ever try in their inaugural game three years ago, touched down twice in a six-minute spell early in the second half to reach the landmark on his 85th appearance.

The tries briefly brought the Welsh side back into the game but in the end they were made to pay for another sluggish start in which they conceded three tries in the first 11 minutes.

St Helens continued their remarkable stranglehold over rivals Warrington with a 26-14 comeback win on Friday night.

The hosts overturned a 14-0 deficit to run in six second-half tries and hand new coach Mick Potter a winning start.

The Wolves, who have now won only one of 34 Super League meetings with their fierce rivals, went 14-0 ahead after tries from former Saints hooker Mickey Higham and Paul Rauhihi and two goals from Chris Hicks.

However, Saints roared back with tries through Lee Gilmour, Ade Gardner, Matt Gidley (2), James Graham and teenage winger Tom Armstrong.

It ensured Sean Long's poor night with the boot did not prove costly and means the Wolves have not beaten Saints at Knowsley Road since the days of the Stones Bitter Championship in 1994.

Their last victory against their local rivals was a 56-22 success at Wilderspool in 2001.

Leeds made it two wins from two in the defence of their title with an 18-4 victory over Wakefield.

However, the Wildcats, forced to give a debut to 19-year-old part-timer Luke Blake, took plenty of plaudits for their battling performance.

Fresh from their opening 12-6 win at Wigan, the visitors battled superbly and were in the hunt for another shock victory until debutant Danny Buderus sent Ian Kirke over for the match-clinching try seven minutes from the end.

Ali Lauitiiti had the hosts in front after only two minutes, but Wakefield were in no mood to roll over.

They had one try disallowed, while Scott Grix was denied by a brilliant last-ditch tackle from the outstanding Lee Smith.

Wakefield's only reward was a penalty from makeshift scrum-half Tony Martin, but they gifted their opponents a try when full-back Matt Blaymire fumbled Smith's re-start to present Jamie Jones-Buchanan with a clear run to the line.

Martin landed another long-range penalty after the break but the Wildcats' resistance was finally broken on 73 minutes when Kirke ended a sustained spell of pressure on the visitors' line by crashing over for his side's third try and substitute Ashley Gibson added the goal.

In the night's other match, Wigan's poor start to the season continued at the KC Stadium as they were deservedly beaten 18-10 by a new-look Hull side.

Brian Noble's men have attracted their fair share of criticism since their embarrassing 12-6 opening-day defeat at home to Wakefield last Sunday, and talk of a crisis at the JJB Stadium will rumble on for at least another week thanks to this result.

Second-half tries from Lee Radford and Peter Cusack proved to be the key for Hull in their first outing of the season.

The first half had ended 6-6 - tries from Phil Bailey and the returning Richard Horne cancelling each other out.

Pat Richards put Wigan back in front just after the break, but Hull were not to be denied.