Warriors trampled by Rhinos

Defending champions Leeds maintained the pressure on St Helens at the top of the engage Super League with a nine-try romp at Wigan on Friday.

The Rhinos recovered from an early setback to hammer their rivals 52-16 at the JJB Stadium, gaining revenge for their recent defeat and taking a home play-off tie further out of their opponents' reach.

Full-back Brent Webb scored twice as Warriors crashed to their heaviest defeat of the campaign, Rhinos going in 24-10 at half-time and adding five further scores after the interval.

Trent Barrett, making what could be his final appearance at the JJB, was involved with the opening score, a contentious one that came virtue of a breakaway try from former Leeds winger Mark Calderwood - video referee Steve Ganson taking four minutes to confirm the score.

Wigan were good value for their early lead but Leeds were not overawed and crossed twice in three minutes, Webb taking Matt Diskin's pass close to the line, spinning out of George Carmont's attempted tackle to score his 15th try of the season.

Calderwood in the action

Substitute Luke Burgess then seized on a moment's hesitation by Calderwood to touch down Danny McGuire's grubber kick, with Kevin Sinfield adding both conversions to make it 12-6.

But Wigan hit back on 28 minutes when Calderwood, never far from the action on his likely final home appearance, palmed back Barrett's kick for Cameron Phelps to touch down.

In a game where errors were proving costly, Leeds winger Lee Smith was next to pounce, seizing on a dropped ball by Carmont to race 50 metres unopposed to the line for the visitors' third try.

And Leeds' enterprise was rewarded just before the break when they ran a penalty from in front of the posts and prop Kylie Leuluai crashed over from short range, with Sinfield kicking his fourth goal.

They started the second period in a similar vein, awarded a scrum in a perfect attacking position after Sinfield's kick-off bounced into touch.

Dazzling footwork

Webb underlined his status as the best attacking full-back in the game when he produced some dazzling footwork to slice through for his second try straight from the set piece.

Rhinos were on the march and superb offloads by Keith Senior and Jordan Tansey paved the way for Ali Lauitiiti to touch down for a richly-deserved score.

Senior typified their superior power and pace when he romped over for their seventh try on 54 minutes and Sinfield's did the rest before substitute Eamon O'Carroll pulled a try back for the home side.

However, Leeds were to have the last laugh with Smith cutting through for try number eight before 17-year-old substitute Kallum Watkins chased down McGuire's kick to touch down for a memorable score.