Rhinos overwhelm Wildcats

Matt Diskin: Two tries

Related links

Teams

• Leeds Rhinos
• Wakefield Wildcats

Also see

• R League on Sky
• Rugby League Scores
• Sky Sports experts

Super League champions Leeds have taken their third straight win of the new season after overwhelming Wakefield 44-8 at Belle Vue.

Brian McClennan's side produced some wonderful rugby in a wholly one-sided first half and ran in no fewer than seven tries - at a rate of nearly a point a minute - while keeping their own line intact.

The Wildcats were thoroughly outclassed - a fact reflected by the 38-0 half-time scoreline.

Wakefield rallied in the second half and restricted the champions to a solitary try but, by then, the outcome had long been decided.

The Wildcats appeared a shadow of the side which achieved a surprise win over Bradford in the first round, while, and despite the late withdrawal of prop Kylie Leuluai with 'flu, Leeds simply picked up from where they left off at Huddersfield.

Keith Senior touched down the opening try, the centre going over after Wakefield hooker Brad Drew came out of the line attempting an interception - the error thus setting the pattern for the Wildcats.

Struggle

To say the least, they struggled, with Matt Blaymire twice losing the ball as their efforts to stem the tide grew ever-more desperate - Wakefield spending most of the opening period camped inside their own half.

Three further tries came Leeds' way in an eight-minute spell midway through the first half.

Hooker Matt Diskin received Danny McGuire's short pass to touch down and, when Wakefield winger Luke George failed to diffuse Rob Burrow's 'bomb', Kevin Sinfield did the rest.

Leeds also made possession from their own half count, as they showed after 24 minutes when an offload from Jamie Peacock released Brent Webb - the full-back then presenting winger Scott Donald with an unopposed run to the line.

Wakefield's lack of confidence with the high ball was again to the fore when they proved unable to deal with McGuire's kick and substitute Ali Lauitiiti touched down a simple try.

Tries for the Rhinos seemingly came on tap, with Burrow then presenting McGuire with the easiest of opportunities, before Webb broke clear to set up a second for Donald.

Swagger

With Peacock and Gareth Ellis rested at half time, Leeds struggled to find their earlier swagger at the start of the second period.

And, with Jamie Rooney making his first appearance of the season just before half-time, Wakefield showed more fight and determination than they had hitherto.

However, it was not reflected on the scoreboard, and the Wildcats clearly still lacked the nous they needed to break down the champions' rock-solid defence.

The score remained unchanged as the game entered its final quarter, before a kick from Drew set up a consolation try for George on 62 minutes.

Wakefield then added a second 10 minutes from time when centre Ryan Atkins was released by Danny Brough on halfway.

But Leeds rightly had the final say when Diskin - deputising at half-back - scored his second try, with Sinfield then kicking his sixth goal from eight attempts to take his own haul to 16 points.