Hall hat-trick rocks Rovers

Hall: Hat-trick hero

Winger Ryan Hall helped himself to a hat-trick as Leeds Rhinos returned to winning ways with an emphatic 44-14 victory over Hull KR at Headingley.

The Rhinos ran in eight tries in all to snap a two-game losing streak and put their Super League title challenge firmly back on track.

Leeds included five players on the team-sheet who saw action in Friday night's International Origin clash - England trio Ryan Hall, Jamie Peacock and Kevin Sinfield playing alongside Exiles duo Danny Buderus and Kylie Leuluai - while Rovers had the advantage of a free week to prepare.

Coach Brian McDermott named Buderus and Leuluai among the replacements, while Clint Newton was on Rovers' bench after returning last week from three months out with knee and calf injuries.

Errors

Leeds adapted quickest to the horrendous playing conditions and it came as no surprise when Rob Burrow sent Lee Smith in at the corner after only six minutes, Sinfield adding the goal.

With surface water causing issues, both teams made handling errors, losing possession at vital times, but they still gave the ball plenty of air.

Ben Galea and Kris Welham combined to send winger Ben Cockayne aqua-planing over the Leeds line but Michael Dobson's conversion attempt failed and Leeds increased their advantage when Hall leapt to catch Brent Webb's long pass and touch down.

Weller Hauraki showed some neat footwork to wrong-foot the Robins' defence and grab Leeds' third try, leaving Sinfield the simple task of adding the goal, but Rovers ended the first half strongly and reduced the deficit to six points with Welham's 17th Super League try of the season.

Following up his own kick, the centre touched down for the seventh successive match and Dobson landed his first successful kick of the game to make the half-time score 16-10 to the Rhinos.

Unstoppable

Leeds, though, hit back immediately after the break, the ball squirming out of Cockayne's grasp for Danny McGuire to collect and sprint to the line.

Rovers then produced one of the best passing moves of the game for centre Craig Hall to score in the right corner, only for Leeds' Hall to grab his second try of the game soon after. Sinfield was in fine kicking form too, landing his fourth goal from five attempts.

And the home captain was only just wide with a touchline effort after McGuire, Sinfield and Brett Delaney combined to send winger Zak Hardaker in at the right corner.

Leeds were by now in unstoppable mood, Hall completing his hat-trick with a try in the left corner before Hardaker became a try-maker with a splendid burst before passing inside for centre Delaney to round out the scoring.