Champions Leeds lost their unbeaten home record after Wigan edged the scoring in the first half and then defended bravely to clinch the win.

Leeds took the lead when Scott Donald went over but Wigan hit back when Pat Richards touched down, added the conversion and then booted a 43m goal.

However, Rhinos regained the lead when prop Kylie Leuluai crashed over.

But Thomas Leuluai's try and Richards' third goal gave Wigan the lead and they doggedly denied Leeds after the break.

Wigan gave a debut to 19-year-old half-back Thomas Coyle in the continued absence of Australian playmaking star Trent Barrett while winger Mark Calderwood missed out on a return to Headingley.

Leeds gave a full debut at loose forward to rugby union convert Simon Worrall, with skipper Kevin Sinfield switching to stand-off in place of the injured Danny McGuire.

The Rhinos suffered another injury blow when second-rower Ali Lauitiiti hobbled off after only seven minutes.

But they took the lead three minutes later when hooker Matt Diskin re-gathered Sinfield's high-bouncing kick and sent winger Donald over for his 10th try of the season.

606: DEBATE Thomas Coyle stepped up to the plate today and took the Rhinos to task, and he didn't once look daunted SupaSaintG

Wigan, though, stormed back and scored an equalising try on 16 minutes when skipper Sean O'Loughlin got centre George Carmont through a gap and Richards finished off the move.

Richards kicked the conversion and also struck a long-distance goal after Leeds centre Keith Senior was penalised in possession to make it 8-4.

But the match swung back and the Rhinos began to get on top, eventually regaining the lead five minutes before half-time when prop Kylie Leuluai took a short pass from Sinfield to crash over for his first try of the season, doubling his tally for the club.

Sinfield's conversion made it 10-8 but two handling errors put the hosts under pressure and Wigan seized their opportunity by scoring their second try in the last act of the half.

Scrum-half Thomas Leuluai, cousin of the Leeds front-rower, was at the shoulder of substitute prop Iafeta Paleaaesina to grab his third try of the season, to which Richards added his third goal.

Wigan suffered further injury misery when centre Darrell Goulding went off with a knee problem just two minutes into the second half.

Yet Warriors were forced to defend for long periods as Leeds exerted tremendous pressure.

The Rhinos thought they had drawn level when winger Lee Smith went over at the corner after 69 minutes but the try was disallowed for a forward pass.

Wigan survived another scare three minutes from the end when makeshift centre Carl Ablett lost the ball when going for the line.

Leeds coach Brian McClennan:
"It sounds strange but this defeat could be good for us. We need these types of things to learn from.

"Wigan were very good tonight. They worked really hard at the ruck and dominated the game in a lot of areas.

"We lost our shape in attack so we weren't as much of a threat as we have been in the last few games."

Wigan coach Brian Noble:
"I'm really pleased for Thomas Coyle and I thought Thomas Leuluai stood up to the plate and steered the team around.

"It was a really good performance. It was really intense and it had to be because Leeds were pounding away.

"We got embarrassed at St Helens and since then we've re-focused and our performances have been pretty good."

Leeds: Webb, Donald, Senior, Smith, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Ellis, Sinfield, Lauitiiti, Bailey, Scruton, Ablett, Tansey, Hall, Burgess, Kaye, Worrall.

Wigan: Mathers, Calderwood, Goulding, Carmont, Richards, Barrett, Leuluai, Fielden, Higham, Paleaaesina, Bailey, O'Loughlin, Colbon, Coley, Hansen, McIlorum, J. Tomkins, O'Carroll, Coyle.