THE greatest achievement in the 116 years since their foundation was made on the greatest stage of all as Leeds Rhinos secured their place in the history books with a courageous engage Super League Grand Final win last night.

Seven months after getting the better of Australia’s best, Melbourne Storm, to be crowned world champions, the Rhinos became the first club to add the Super League title in the same season by defying favourites St Helens.

A mighty defensive effort also ensured captain Kevin Sinfield’s team became the first Leeds side to successfully defend the title, a deeply impressive feat.

Just as they had done a year earlier, Leeds bounced back from a play-off defeat by St Helens to win the match that mattered most and though the scoreline may not have been as wide as the 33-6 Grand Final rout of 2007, the significance of their victory was greater.

Saints rarely seemed likely to repeat their win of two weeks earlier when they were a class apart. Their ambitions were smothered by the sheer bloody-mindedness of Leeds, who managed to reinvent themselves after the wreckage of a 38-10 defeat at Knowsley Road.

“After what happened last time out to win like we did tonight was very special,” said Sinfield, who paid tribute to the inspirational work of coach Brian McClennan.

Pre-match fears the loss of Brent Webb, the New Zealand full-back who withdrew on Friday with a back injury, would dull the Rhinos’ attack proved unfounded as his stand-in, Lee Smith delivered a mighty display. His involvement had been in doubt after he was found guilty of raking his studs across the face of Wigan forward Phil Bailey, and after avoiding suspension he made the most of his second chance to be a clear winner of the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match.

Smith scored one try and was a pillar of strength throughout a final played at breakneck speed. Saints opened the scoring with an early try by James Graham, who supported a telling raid by Lee Gilmour to go over by the posts at the end of a week which had seen him crowned Super League Man of Steel. Yet once Smith had helped level the scores with his try midway through the half, Leeds always held the upper hand as their intensity prompted St Helens’ composure to crumble, as their dream of giving coach Daniel Anderson the perfect send off as he returns to Australia, faded with each minute.

Anderson admitted his team were second best: “We battled in the second half but when we got our teeth into the game it just didn’t happen.”

After reading the riot act at the interval, he drew an instant response, with Matt Gidley squeezing over for a try three minutes after the resumption for Sean Long to convert and level the scores. However Leeds, who had reached the break leading 12-6 courtesy of a well-taken try by Ryan Hall — a 20-year-old only drafted in to allow Smith to move inside for Webb — held firm to impose their authority throughout the second half.

Hall’s try featured footwork worthy of Old Trafford, dribbling the ball past Willie Talau to score in the right corner after Francis Meli had burst out of the defensive line.

Meli was also at fault in the 62nd minute when Leeds scored the decisive try, which came from a high, hanging kick towards the Kiwi winger by Sinfield. With players closing in, Meli made a meal of collecting the kick and when the ball ran to ground Danny McGuire scooped it up, skipped out of a tackle by Paul Wellens and cut back inside to score his second try.

St Helens responded with a try by Ade Gardner, who squeezed over from a long pass by James Roby, but it could not spare them their fate.

McGuire had earlier negated Gidley’s try by sweeping through to get the touch to a pinpoint low kick to the posts by Sinfield shortly after Smith had set up the position. The full-back kicked more in hope than anticipation after being caught in possession but from the resulting scrum Sinfield maintained his composure to make sure Leeds worked the ball infield for his kick to give McGuire his first try. “We are proud of his effort, he did an outstanding job,” said McClennan of Smith.

Star man: Lee Smith (Leeds)

Referee: A Klein

Attendance: 68,810

Scorers: St Helens: Tries: Graham 6min, Gidley 43min, Gardner 59min Cons: Long (2)

Leeds: Tries: Smith 23min, Hall 36min, McGuire 49min, 62min Cons: Sinfield (4)

ST HELENS: P Wellens; A Gardner, M Gidley, W Talau, F Meli; L Pryce, S Long; J Graham, K Cunningham (capt), B Hargreaves, J Wilkin, L Gilmour, C Flannery. Replacements: J Roby, N Fozzard, P Clough, M Fa’asavalu

LEEDS: L Smith; R Hall, C Ablett, K Senior, S Donald; D McGuire, R Burrow; K Leuluai, M Diskin, J Peacock, G Ellis, J Jones-Buchanan, K Sinfield (capt). Replacements: A Lauitiiti, R Bailey, N Scruton, I Kirke