Leeds Rhinos 4-30 Hull FC: Ratu Naulago stars to get visitors off to winning start in Super League
By Marc Bazeley at Emerald Headingley Stadium
Last Updated: 03/02/20 12:33pm
Ratu Naulago's double helped Hull FC make a statement in their opening game of the 2020 Super League season as they overcame Leeds Rhinos 30-4 at Headingley on Sunday.
A close-fought opening quarter of an hour saw the visitors holding a slender lead thanks to a penalty from Marc Sneyd, but the Black and Whites took control soon after and led 16-0 at the break thanks to tries from Carlos Tuimavave, Naulago and Josh Bowden.
Two more penalties from Sneyd soon after the restart as the rain began to fall kept the scoreboard ticking over for Hull and Fijian flyer Naulago's second set them on course to lay down an early marker ahead of Friday's derby clash with Hull Kingston Rovers.
Hull's success was built on the foundations laid by their pack which has been beefed up in the off-season as part of head coach Lee Radford's recruitment, allowing their dangerous back to flourish in what were tricky conditions.
"It's the kind of side I looked to recruit," Radford said. "Now it's just about continuing to improve that and staying healthy, I suppose.
"Headingley has been a tough place to come for a long period of time, so to get our last two results here is pleased. To get that result leading into a derby is even more pleasing, so we've got a good week ahead of us now."
It was the Rhinos who had the better of the match in the opening exchanges though, yet they were unable to make the most of that early dominance and found themselves behind with around a quarter of an hour gone when half-back Sneyd slotted over a penalty.
Then a devastating counter-attack four minutes later led to Hull grabbing the first try. The hosts were threatening close to the line, but when Naulago got the ball he burst clear and stormed through the defence before passing for Tuimavave to finish.
Winger Naulago then went from provider to scorer in the 32nd minute, this time when Jake Connor sent him bursting through to score - although Sneyd saw his conversion attempt rattle off the posts.
Bowden's try, coming after Hull had worked a fine attack following a penalty, and the resulting successful conversion from Sneyd pushed the lead out to 16 points at half-time, with the latter kicking two more penalties when play resumed.
Another lightning attack from the visitors led to Naulago adding his second unconverted try of the game on 57 minutes, although Leeds did finally get on the scoreboard six minutes later.
Rhyse Martin's one-on-one ball strip set in motion a counter move which led to Ash Handley getting over for an unconverted score. However, the winger was denied a second when Naulago showed his defensive ability by tackling Handley into touch just before he could dot the ball down.
At the other end, Manu Ma'u was denied a debut try for Hull as Leeds scrambled to stop him just short, but Jamie Shaul put the seal on the win in the closing stages with a converted try.
"I think the game was lost in the manner in which we let our tries in during the first half," Rhinos head coach Richard Agar said.
"We've got no excuses, apart from it was pretty poor play on our part to let the tries in we did. I thought we became erratic, rattled and disjointed for a period of the game, and then we're chasing four scores on a night like that."