12 try Leeds thump Widnes

Leeds put Widnes to the sword with a 12-try show to warm-up emphatically for the Challenge Cup final at the end of the month.

The Vikings were never really had a look in as the home side raced in to an 18-0 lead within 13 minutes, and despite moments of resolve from the visitors, the Rhinos were too strong.

Ryan Bailey got the scoreboard ticking after six minutes, and further tries from Ryan Hall and Shaun Lunt virtually had the game wrapped up in the first quarter.

Widnes hit back with a well taken try of their own through Stefan Marsh, but by the time Frank Winterstein added their second try, the Rhinos had added three more through Zak Hardaker, Richard Moore and Hall.

Brett Delaney‘s converted try on the hooter put Leeds 40-12 to the good at half time, and probably left coach Brian McDermott pondering how best to protect his players ahead of their Wembley date against Warrington.

The visitors, second bottom in Super League, dug in after the break and scored two quick-fire tries through Cameron Phelps and Marsh’s second, to bring them back within three scores.

They kept pressing and forced consecutive drop-outs, before a masterful drop kick by Sinfield from under his own posts relieved the pressure and broke Widnes’ momentum.

That proved the game breaker, and even more so when Kurt Haggerty was shown a yellow card for a bust up with Darrell Griffin, who rubbed salt in to the Widnes wounds by scoring two tackles later.

The final quarter turned in to a procession for the home side, as they ran in tries through Kylie Leuluai, Stevie Ward and another from Hardaker, before young forward Jimmy Kleinhorst grabbed his first senior try on the hooter to the round scoring off to 68-24.