Friday 3 March 2017 12:17, UK
Castleford coach Daryl Powell was delighted his team were able to live up to their classy reputation as they put arch rivals Leeds to the sword.
The Tigers ran in 12 tries to two in a 66-10 hammering of a patched-up Rhinos, who were condemned to their heaviest-ever Super League defeat, and now top the table with three wins from three matches.
"We were really good tonight," Powell said. "Obviously Leeds are in a tough patch, having lost a few troops.
"For us, there is so much good going on with the team at the moment. Individually they are playing at the top of their game and the maturity of the team has come through and is showing at the moment.
"We are playing in a tradition here, it's a team that's been called classy Cas and hopefully we can do something special and leave a legacy."
Powell was particularly thrilled with his back three, who scored seven tries between them. Greg Minikin and Greg Eden both grabbed hat-tricks and full-back Zak Hardaker, who is on a season-long loan from Leeds, inevitably scored and impressed against his parent club while scrum-half Luke Gale contributed 22 points with a try and nine goals.
"Minikin looks lightning, Hardaker speaks for himself and Eden is a great acquisition," Powell said. "I really like watching them play, they are so quick and back themselves.
"Our pack is looking good, the second-half management of the game by Luke Gale was outstanding and I thought Paul McShane complemented him well, he's such a clever footballer."
McShane, Castleford's first-choice hooker, was switched to stand-off on his return from suspension in place of Rangi Chase, who has now completed his internal suspension for an unspecified breach of club discipline, according to Powell.
"He'll come back into the group next week and we'll take it from there," added the coach.
'Not miles off'
Leeds' defeat eclipsed their previous heaviest loss, by 68-14 to Wigan in 1996, and left coach Brian McDermott full of praise for his opponents.
"There is no simple answer," McDermott said. "As crazy as it might sound, I didn't think we were that bad in the first half.
"We were not miles off, I just think Castleford were white hot. You can pick fault in some of their tries but they were brilliant.
"In the second half we clearly played without momentum and belief and we got rattled and made far too many defensive errors. The lack of possession began to take its toll."
The 2015 champions had seven players missing through injury, illness and suspension, with half-back Jordan Lilley recalled at a few hours' notice from his loan spell at Bradford to take a place on the bench.
"It had a bearing for sure," said McDermott.
"But you'd like to put our Under-19s out there and not get beat by that scoreline. Everybody's pride is hurting. You have got to ask some serious questions but that's one of the best offensive performances I've seen.
"They zinged the ball across the field and Luke Gale tore us apart. I've been a player and coach in every year of Super League and I can't remember a more clinical performance.
"I can't see anybody touching them if they play like that."
