After a sensational upset in the first game of the Bolton double header, the Dragons beating Saints, the stadium was all set for the Wolves to take on the Rhinos with the bookies again having heavy favourites, this time it was the primrose and blue of the side from Warrington.
The Rhinos had a number of players returning to their side including Richie Myler, Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Ryan Hall. It was the best line up that coach Kevin Sinfield could have hoped for but his side were still heavy underdogs against a Warrington side who have only won one in their last four outings.
What would the magic of the cup deliver for the second helping of cup semi-final action of the afternoon.
The early pressure was all on the Rhinos defensive line and after Leeds held on in the tackle the Wolves opted to take the penalty kick with Tyrone Roberts kicking the first two points of the game for a 2-0 lead.
On their first foray into the Wolves twenty the Rhinos took the lead with a try made from nothing as Ryan Hall stepped past two attempted tackles to dive over the line. Liam Sutcliffe kicked brilliantly from the touchline for a 6-2 Rhinos lead after thirteen minutes.
On seventeen Stefan Ratchford lost the ball under pressure as he went over the Leeds line.
On twenty-one Tom Lineham ducked under a poor tackle inside his own twenty and went the length of the field down the centre to score under the sticks to level the scores. Roberts added the conversion to edge his side ahead.
Two minutes later and the Wolves were in again after Toby King beat Ryan Hall to field a high kick and offload to Josh Charnley for the winger to dive over in the corner. Roberts converted from the touchline for a 14-6 lead.
On the half-hour Kevin Brown increased the Wolves lead when he crashed through a group of Leeds players to ground under the uprights. Roberts again added the goal and after the early blip Warrington were now in control at 20-6.
Ben Murdoch-Masila grabbed the Wolves fourth try of the afternoon off a Roberts pass to step and go thirty metres to score a walk in try. Roberts kicked the conversion after the half time hooter for a 26-6 lead.
Four minutes after the restart Adam Cuthbertson crashed the Wolves line to score under the crossbar off a Brad Dwyer pass. Sutcliffe added the extras and the arrears were down to fourteen points.
Josh Charnely won the game for Warrington on fifty-seven after Clarke broke the Leeds defensive line and went the remaining thirty for a simple try in the corner. Roberts added the conversion for 32-12 to take his side to Wembley.
Roberts added a penalty conversion on sixty-four after the Rhinos were offside defending on their own line.
A Toby King break and dummy gifted Warrington their sixth try of the afternoon as the Wolves swamped a threadbare Rhinos defence. Roberts added the extras from the touchline for eight out of eighht for the afternoon.
Bryson Goodwin continued the Wolves progression with five minutes remaining when he went over doen the left win and pushed between two exhausted Leeds tacklers. Roberts missed his first conversion of the afternoon but it was irrelevant at 44-12.
Lineham added his second when he intercepted twenty from his own line and again went the length of the field to score under the sticks as the Rhinos defence gave up the chase. Ben Westwood failed to add the goal but Warrington had a 48-12 win.
The second semi-final went to form with the Warrington Wolves getting the victory which was expected of them to secure their place at Wembley to take on the shock winners from the first semi-final, the Catalans Dragons. Leeds offered little resistance and although the Wolves were far from the finished article they were far too good for a Leeds side in total disarray.
Wolves: Ratchford, Lineham (2T), Goodwin (T), King T (T), Charnley (2T), Brown (T), Roberts (8G), Hill, Clark, Cooper, Livett, Hughes, Westwood. Subs: Philbin, Murdoch-Masila (T), Patton, King G.
Rhinos: Walker, Briscoe, Handley, Sutcliffe (2G), Hall (T), Moon, Myler, Cuthbertson (T), Parcell, Singleton, Ablett, Ferres, Jones-Buchanan. Subs: Dwyer, Oledzki, Peteru, Walters.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
Half-Time: 26-6.
Full-Time: 48-12.
Attendance: 26,086.
