The 2007 Super League Grand Final was 10th official Grand Final and the conclusive and championship-deciding match of the Super League XII season. Held on Saturday 13 October 2007, at Old Trafford in Manchester, the game was played between St. Helens, who finished top of the league after the 27 weekly rounds, and Leeds Rhinos, who finished second after the weekly rounds.
Background
Going into this game, St Helens had never lost in a Grand Final - they had won in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2006. Leeds Rhinos had one win from 2004 and two losses (1998 and 2005).
The St Helens stand-off, Leon Pryce, made a record-breaking seventh Grand Final appearance by playing in this game with previous appearances playing with Bradford Bulls and St Helens.
The pre-match coin toss was won by Leeds Rhinos. They chose to kick off and defended from the Stretford End of Old Trafford.
Katherine Jenkins was forced to withdraw herself from the pre-match entertainment due to a flu bug, her replacement was Russell Watson, who performed the Grand Final hymn, Jerusalem. Watson performed before the game at the first Super League Grand Final.
TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 St. Helens271908783422+361382 Leeds Rhinos271818747487+26037
Route to the Final St Helens Round Opposition Score Qualifying Semi-Final Leeds Rhinos (H) 10-8 Key: (H) = Home venue; (A) = Away venue; (N) = Neutral venue.
Leeds Rhinos Round Opposition Score Qualifying Semi-Final St Helens (A) 10-8 Elimination Final Wigan Warriors (H) 36-6 Key: (H) = Home venue; (A) = Away venue; (N) = Neutral venue.
Match details
St HelensPositionLeeds Rhinos1 Paul Wellens Fullback1 Brent Webb2 Ade Gardner Winger2 Scott Donald 3 Matthew Gidley Centre3 Clinton Toopi4 Willie Talau Centre4 Keith Senior5 Francis Meli Winger5 Lee Smith6 Leon Pryce Stand Off6 Danny McGuire7 Sean Long Scrum half7 Rob Burrow 8 Nick Fozzard Prop8 Kylie Leuluai9 Keiron Cunningham Hooker9 Matt Diskin 10 Jason Cayless Prop10 Jamie Peacock11 Lee Gilmour 2nd Row11 Jamie Jones-Buchanan30 Chris Flannery 2nd Row12 Gareth Ellis12 Jon Wilkin Loose forward13 Kevin Sinfield (c) 14 James Roby Interchange14 Ali Lauitiiti15 Mike Bennett Interchange16 Ryan Bailey17 James Graham Interchange18 Ian Kirke23 Maurie Fa'asavalu Interchange22 Carl Ablett Daniel Anderson Coach Tony Smith
References