Wildcats battered by Rhinos
Leeds surged seven points clear at the top of the Super League with a crushing 58-12 victory over Wakefield at Headingley on Friday.
By Simon Dilger
Last Updated: 16/05/08 10:32pm
Leeds surged seven points clear at the top of the Super League with a crushing 58-12 victory over Wakefield at Headingley on Friday.
In a dominant display by the league leaders, skipper Kevin Sinfield equalled Andy Farrell's record of scoring in 48 successive Super League rounds while Danny McGuire claimed another hat-trick.
Leeds ran in ten tries during the match with McGuire (2), home debutant Eric Anselme, Rob Burrow, Simon Worrall and Keith Senior all crossing for Leeds in the first half, while Carl Ablett, McGuire, Matt Diskin and Senior added further scores after the break.
Leeds took less than two minutes to notch up their first points, Ablett storming down the right flank before offloading to provide McGuire with an effortless run in.
The Rhinos missed a number of opportunities and midway through the first half Wakefield began to build some pressure.
They were rewarded in the 20th minute when a delightful piece of dummy running from stand-off Jamie Rooney followed by a simple offload sent Sam Obst in under the posts.
Danny Brough converted to draw Wakefield level at 6-6 but any raised hopes were short lived when three minutes later French forward Anselme collected a neat pass from McGuire and cantered over the line for the hosts.
Shortly before the half hour mark Leeds had their third try when full-back Brent Webb broke from deep to send Burrow over for a simple score.
Leeds effectively killed off any hopes the Wildcats had of a fightback, stunning the visitors with a series of dazzling moves that saw McGuire, Worrall and then Senior add further scores before the break.
Wakefield came out with grim determination in the second half but they were powerless to prevent the impressive Ablett crashing over in the right corner in the 53rd minute.
Sinfield could not convert from close to the touchline but shortly after the hour mark he provided McGuire with the pass that saw him run clear to claim his hat-trick.
Sinfield added the extras for his seventh goal from eight attempts and although Brough's 68th-minute try brought Wakefield brief respite, Diskin and Senior added further scores to take Leeds' try count into double figures, with Burrow converting both.
Sinfield's exploits have earned him a place in Super League folklore alongside Farrell, who achieved the feat with Wigan between May 1997 and May 1999.
Farrell, an icon of the sport, now looks certain to be surpassed by the Rhinos captain.