They have set the defensive standard all season long but Leeds were undone by a taste of their own medicine last night as Wigan, who tackled valiantly throughout, especially during a non-scoring second half, climbed to second place in Super League with a spirited victory over the defending champions.

Wigan are now just two points behind Leeds and Brian Noble, the Wigan coach, has won 11 of the 17 matches he has coached against Leeds at Headingley.Wigan’s success came despite being without the hugely influential Trent Barrett, their injured Australian stand-off, and their team featured eight products of their own academy system.

Leeds should have reached the interval with a narrow lead, only to surrender the initiative in the closing seconds when Wigan capitalised on a rare error by Matt Diskin.

The Leeds hooker fumbled just 20 metres from his line to gift the position from which prop Iafeta Paleaasina sent Thomas Leuluai hurtling past three defenders for a try. Pat Richards added his third goal and Wigan, despite having spent much of the previous 40 minutes in a desperate rearguard action, were 14-10 in front.

The Rhinos had started strongly and after forcing Wigan to drop out from between their posts with a tricky kick by Kevin Sinfield, they opened up Wigan with a well-taken try from Scott Donald.

Wigan were soon level, Richards applying a polished finish to a slick handling move featuring Leuluai, Sean O’Loughlin and George Carmont before adding the conversion that edged the visitors ahead. The sharp eyes of the referee then enabled Richards to double Wigan’s advantage after Keith Senior had held on to a defender.

Wigan’s rugged defence prevented Leeds from finding fluency in attack, although they did strike with telling effect in the 36th minute, Kylie Leuluai, the cousin of Wigan scrum-half Thomas, scoring by the left post.

In the second half, Leeds put the Wigan line under intense pressure.

Leeds thought they had made the breakthrough when Jordan Tansey and Carl Ablett combined smartly to put Smith over in the corner only for the referee to spot a forward pass in the build-up.

Star man: Thomas Leuluai (Leeds)

Leeds: B Webb; L Smith, G Ellis, K Senior, S Donald; K Sinfield (capt), R Burrow; N Scruton, M Diskin, K Leuluai, J Peacock, A Lauitiiti, S Worrall. Replacements: L Burgess, J Tansey, C Ablett, R Bailey.

Wigan: R Mathers; L Colbon, D Goulding, G Carmont, P Richards; T Coyle, T Leuluai; S Fielden, M McIlorum, A Coley, H Hansen, P Bailey, S O’Loughlin (capt). Replacements: M Higham, I Paleaasina, J Tomkins, E O’Carroll.

Scorers: Leeds: Tries: Donald, Leuluai Con: Sinfield

Wigan: Tries: Richards, Leuluai Cons: Richards 2 Pen: Richards

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens)

Attendance: 18,769

Star man: Thomas Leuluai (Wigan).

Scorers: Leeds: Tries: ; Cons: Sinfield. Wigan: Tries:

Richards, Leuluai; Cons: Richards 2; Pen: Richards.