Round 7
Leeds Rhinos 44 d. Bradford Bulls 2

2008 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Leeds ruthlessly tear apart Bradford
Fri March 21, 2008
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Defending champions Leeds Rhinos were in ruthless form against their arch-rivals, running in eight tries without reply to rack up their biggest margin of victory over Bradford Bulls in engage Super League.

New Zealand full-back Brent Webb scored a hat-trick as the Rhinos kicked off the Easter programme in sparkling fashion to pull four points clear of the chasing pack.

Scrum-half Rob Burrow touched down twice but as pleasing for coach Brian McClennan in his first derby was his side's magnificent defence, which kept a clean sheet for the second successive week in front of a crowd of 19,296 at Headingley.

Already without six regulars through injury, Leeds shrugged off the early loss of prop Kylie Leuluai to cruise to their 10th win in the last 14 meetings with the Bulls, who find themselves six points behind their neighbours at this early stage in the season.

Leuluai knocked himself out trying to tackle Bradford's former Rhinos forward Chris Feather and the game was held up for seven minutes while the New Zealander had treatment on the pitch before being carried off on a stretcher.

But the disruption had little effect on the Rhinos, who ran in five tries before half-time, four of them in a devastating 17-minute spell.

The visitors had taken the lead with a fourth-minute penalty from captain Paul Deacon but Leeds scored the game's first try when hooker Matt Diskin's grubber kick ricocheted off his opposite number Terry Newton and bounced kindly into the arms of second Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

It was a sure sign that Leeds' luck was in. Kevin Sinfield, whose scoring run goes back 48 matches, hit the woodwork with the conversion attempt but found the target with the first of four successful goals when Webb scored his first try after 22 minutes, following a neat offload from the skipper.

Bradford, who also went into the game without six first-choice players, were still well in the game at that stage but they were dealt a body blow after 29 minutes when Leeds turned defence into attack in devastating fashion.

Webb demonstrated superb athleticism to diffuse a 'bomb' on his own line and Jones-Buchanan caught the Bulls napping with quickly-taken tap on the 20-metre line to race clear and send winger Lee Smith over for an 80-metre try.

As if that was not bad enough for Steve McNamara's men, they saw the game slip away completely after conceding two further tries in the last four minutes of the first half.

Great Britain forward Gareth Ellis, once more looking awesome in his old centre role, swooped on a loose ball after Deacon lost possession near his own line and Burrow took advantage of another ricochet to score his 101st try for the club.

Ellis then went past Chris Nero and Matt James as if they did not exist and sent Webb racing away for his second try.

It seemed the harder Bradford tried, the worse it got for them and they went further behind three minutes into the second half after conceding another long-range try.

The Bulls were in an ideal attacking position but Deacon's grubber kick went straight into the hands of Leeds substitute Luke Burgess and he demonstrated quick reactions to get winger Scott Donald away for an 80-metre score, his ninth try of engage Super League XIII.

Bradford suffered more misery when hooker Terry Newton was placed on report for what appeared to be illegal use of his elbow on Diskin and they were denied a try when Deacon was literally thrown back from the line.

Left winger Semi Tadulala, who had a lively first half, was also thwarted by a last-ditch tackle as Leeds demonstrated a determination to keep their line intact for the second successive week.

Leeds had no such difficulty reaching the line. Burrow dodged and weaved his way past six defenders to notch his second try after 61 minutes and Webb followed up Tansey's kick to complete his hat-trick seven minutes later.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: McClennan hails defensive effort


Bulls Eye: Bradford v Leeds
Thu March 20, 2008
Source: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

In Bulls Eye this year, Bradford coach Steve McNamara looks forward to Thursday's Super League Round 7 game at Headingley Carnegie Stadium when the Bulls take on the Rhinos for the first time in Super League XIII.

STEVE McNAMARA
THERE IS ALWAYS A SPECIAL VIBE WHEN THESE GAMES COME ROUND?
There is and this one will be no different. When the fixtures came out last year and they said we would play each other four times, we all thought that it would be too much but by the end of the year I think we could have played each other another dozen times and it wouldn't have been too much. Eventful, full of drama and always played in front of big crowds; what more can you ask for.

WITH THE INJURIES COULD YOU HAVE DONE WITHOUT THIS GAME AT THIS TIME?
No, this game is OK. It's a quick turn around for us from Sunday, which is probably the biggest thing, especially with having to back up on the Monday and then the Sunday. That's going to be tough but that's the way it is at Easter. As regards to this game I think everyone would have liked to see both sides to be at full strength and with a good seven days recovery since their last game but that's not to be and it's the survival of the fittest. Go out there and get the job done. It was pretty similar at the Millennium last year ? although that was overshadowed by other events ? but we were a little undercooked as far as personnel was concerned and so were Leeds. That game lacked nothing in terms of intensity and drama and I am sure this one will be the same.

SO WILL WE SEE A DIFFERENT BULLS SIDE ON THE PITCH THIS WEEK BECAUSE OF THE INJURIES?
It will certainly be different but it makes it very easy. We only have seventeen fit players and that's how we'll be running. They are all going into this game in real good spirits and in a determined manner and they are really looking forward to going to Headingley Carnegie. It will be a full house and Leeds always makes us feel welcome when we go there, so we can't wait. Because of the lack of numbers it can give you a backs to the wall mentality. There are a lot of teams going through it at the moment and you see some extraordinary results. We were down in numbers last week and came up with a great result against a very full strength and inform side. We need to go out and do it again against another inform team. We have won our last two games without being spectacular but we've been doing some very, very tough stuff. That bodes well for now and for the rest of the season.

There will be no room for the faint hearts. There will be a lot of tired bodies before the game but adrenalin is a great thing and it gets rid of most of the aches and pains. You run on it for eighty minutes and you pay for it after.

Leeds have certainly been strong defensively and we will need to match them. I watched their game against Harlequins and I thought they were very clinical and ruthless. They ran in tries from all over, long range and short and did a great job on them. They are in good form.

SQUAD
Steve McNamara has recalled Craig Kopczak from his loan at Halifax and Dave Halley will also be in the squad along with Iestyn Harris and Michael Platt.

The 19 man Squad is: Sam Burgess, Terry Newton, Shontayne Hape, Paul Deacon, (C), James Evans, Dave Halley, Chris Nero, Chris Feather, Iestyn Harris, Wayne Godwin, Ben Jeffries, Simon Finnigan, Andy Lynch, Semi Tadulala, David Solomona, Matt Cook, Matt James, Craig Kopczak, Michael Platt.

MILESTONES
PAUL DEACON has kicked 25 goals from 28 attempts this season for an average of 89.29%.

CHRIS NERO needs eight points for a career total of 200 in British Rugby League. He has scored 48 tries for a total of 192 points.

BEN JEFFRIES needs 2 points for a career total of 300 in British Rugby League. He has scored 70 tries, kicked 7 goals and 4 Drop Goals for a total of 298 points

News sent by: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

Thu March 20, 2008
• Headingley Insight: Leeds v Bradford
  
Wed March 19, 2008
• Bailey ruled out for Rhinos
  

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