Leeds Rhinos stayed top of the Betfred Super League table as an eight-try demolition  saw them beat Catalans 46-4 at AMT Headingley in round nine of the Betfred Super League.

Warrington’s loss to the Dragons last time out meant Leeds took top spot for the first time in six years at the end of round eight, and two tries from Ryan Hall led the way as a confident Rhinos performance swept aside by Ryan Sheridan’s Catalans side.

The Rhinos named the same 17 players in the matchday squad for the fourth consecutive game for the visit of the Dragons, with Brad Arthur only altering their field position. Mikolaj Oledzki, Danny Levi and Kallum Watkins stepped up from the bench to make starts for the home side, in turn seeing Jarrod O’Connor, Tom Holroyd and Cooper Jenkins utilised as impacts amongst the substitutes. Watkins’ inclusion forced Keenan Palasia into prop, after starting as a lock in the win over the Giants.

Catalans also remained largely unchanged; Josh Allen the only inclusion for Alexis Lis after the forward missed their result over Warrington.

It wasn’t the Dragons’ night from kick off as a knock on by Tommy Makinson immediately put the visitors under pressure. Coming into the game off the back of a high-scoring win last time out, the Rhinos didn’t struggle to turn the opportunity into points as following good drives from Mikolaj Oledzki and Keenan Palasia, a quick shift to the edge saw Ash Handley poke himself into a gap to plant the ball over the try line.

Leeds’ flowing attack was allowed space to roam as the Dragons struggled to get to grips with the task posed by Arthur’s side. Chris Hankinson and Jack Bird both threatened to break the line before Maika Sivo couldn’t hold a bullet pass from Lachie Miller that would have resulted in a definite try. Nevertheless, the league’s leading scorer didn’t have to wait long to cross short after; Croft’s kick on the last tackle was pushed back by Connor into the path of Miller, whose pass was on target to put Sivo in to score.

Errors and penalties further restricted Catalans night as more points for the Rhinos came off the back of it. A promising half break by Darrelatour had broken down moments before for the Dragons, but after reversing the away side back to their own try line, a long pass from Connor put Ryan Hall over in the corner to extend the lead to 16-0 with 25 minutes played.

Leeds’ advantage could have been greater with half time in sight, but yet another Sivo effort was chalked off. Croft worked the Dragons defence to put Hankinson through a gap, but as Staines caught up the Leeds man with the line in sight, Hankinson produced a great offload to put Sivo in to score. After being reviewed by the video referee, Hankinson was judge to be tackled before offloading, wiping off what would have been a spectacular try. Connor also pulled a penalty goal wide of the posts on the half time hooter, sending the Rhinos into the break after a confident first 40 minutes.

A nervous ten minutes at the start of the second half put the game in the balance as Leeds attempted to rediscover the same form that scored five tries against Huddersfield, whilst the Dragons knew a try would pull them back into the contest.

Luckily for the Rhinos, they made the key breakthrough as Danny Levi got his first Super League score for the club. Tom Holroyd’s drive for the line had been cut short by desperate Dragons defence, but the speed of Levi caught the French side off guard as he burrowed out of dummy half untouched to score a wonderful effort.

Even with Connor’s conversion, the contest was over thanks to two more Leeds tries in five minutes. Buoyed by Levi’s effort, a rampaging run from Cooper Jenkins saw the sub force his way to the line in an effort not too dissimilar to his first Vegas try. Also in a throwback to the Rhinos’ memorable win in the US, Jenkins set up Brodie Croft as a tackle break on Harvey Smith set the prop away, before he found Croft in support for the half back’s 11^th try of the year.

Now comfortably strolling towards a win with the scoreline at 34-0, Leeds were kept alert when Zac Lipowicz had a try disallowed as the second rower almost connected with a Lewis Dodd grubber kick. Minutes later, the Rhinos were at the opposite end of the field celebrating another fine try; Hall grabbing his second of the game in the corner to take the home side to 40 points.

Darrelatour made sure Catalans left with a try on the board in the final ten minutes – much to the home fans’ disappointment. They were quickly on their feet for a final time before the full time whistle as James McDonnell bullied his way to ground the ball for his fourth try of the year, sealing a 46-4 triumph.

Teams

Rhinos

1. Lachie Miller, 2. Maika Sivo, 4. Ash Handley (C), 33. Jack Bird, 5. Ryan Hall, 6. Brodie Croft, 7. Jake Connor, 8. Mikolaj Oledzki, 23. Danny Levi, 13. Keenan Palasia, 14. Chris Hankinson, 12. James McDonnell, 11. Kallum Watkins

Subs: 9. Jarrod O’Connor, 10. Tom Holroyd, 15. Cooper Jenkins, 17. Cameron Smith (18th Man – 20. Presley Cassell) 

Tries: Handley (2), Sivo (18), Hall (24, 68), Levi (51), Jenkins (54), Croft (57), McDonnell (78)

Goals: Connor 7/9

Dragons

1. Charlie Staines, 2. Tommy Makinson, 24. Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, 4. Solomona Faataape, 28. Leo Darrelatour, 6. Toby Sexton, 7. Lewis Dodd, 15. Izsac Fa’asuamaleaui, 19. Kruise Leeming, 17. Romain Navarrete, 13. Ben Garcia, 20. Zac Lipowicz, 10. Julian Bousquet

Subs: 8. Chris Satae, 12. Ben Condon, 18. Harvey Wilson, 16. Josh Allen (18^th Man – 30. Alexis Lis)

Tries: Darrelatour (72)

Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 0/1