Smith boost for Rhinos

11:03pm Tuesday 30th September 2008

Leeds winger Lee Smith has been cleared to play in Saturday's engage Super League Grand Final against St Helens.

Smith was placed on report for kicking Wigan second-rower Phil Bailey in the face during last Friday's 18-14 play-off victory over the Warriors and was subsequently charged with a grade C offence.

The 22-year-old Smith, who scored two tries against Wigan and one in last year's 33-6 Grand Final win over Saints, had faced a suspension of up to four matches when he appeared in front of the Rugby Football League's disciplinary hearing.

Although he was found guilty at Tuesday's hearing, which was held at the league's Red Hall headquarters, of recklessly striking out, the panel decided not to impose a ban but fined him £300.

Ryan Hall, 20, who has shared the right-wing duties with Smith this year, would have been a straight replacement but Leeds coach Brian McClennan expressed his confidence that Smith would be cleared and he is set to name an unchanged team.

That will mean just one alteration to the side that beat Saints at Old Trafford a year ago.

Prop forward Nick Scruton, who has played in 29 of the Rhinos' 34 competitive games this season, missed out last year through injury and will be appearing in his first major domestic showpiece after being a non-playing member of Leeds' squad for the 2004 and 2005 Grand Finals.

The Leeds-born front-rower, who replaces injured centre Clinton Toopi with Carl Ablett switching from the pack to the threequarters, will be making his final appearance for the club before joining arch rivals Bradford on a three-year deal.

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