Round 24
Leeds Rhinos 76 d. Castleford Tigers 12

2009 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Hall scores five tries as Leeds put 76 points on Castleford
Sat August 15, 2009
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Ryan Hall claimed a stunning five-try haul as Leeds Rhinos destroyed neighbours Castleford Tigers in a 14-try romp to move level on points with engage Super League leaders St Helens.

The England wing, 21, claimed a first-half hat-trick and then raced from inside his own half for a brilliant fourth on the hour mark before claiming his fifth with five minutes remaining.

Australian wing Scott Donald, full-back Brent Webb, who crossed twice, Lee Smith, Kylie Leuluai, Rob Burrow, Jamie Peacock, Michael Ratu and Ali Lauitiiti were also on target as the reigning champions sent out an emphatic reminder of their class.

The Rhinos were unchanged from their victory against Warrington almost a fortnight ago and they opened the scoring in typically devastating fashion.

Burrow's delightful 40-20 led to a period of sustained pressure which culminated in skipper Kevin Sinfield finding Danny McGuire with a neat short offload.

McGuire advanced forward at pace from midfield, tearing down the right flank before sending Donald haring into the corner for an outstanding try.

Sinfield could not add the extras from the touchline and Castleford responded in impressive fashion and wiped out the Rhinos' lead four minutes later.

Rangi Chase found Evans in the left channel and he showed brute force to bustle his way over the line in front of the visiting Tigers supporters.

Joe Westerman garnished the try with the two extra points from a difficult angle but Leeds regained the lead five minutes later when Hall touched down in the left corner for the simplest of scores.

Sinfield's conversion attempt rebounded off a post but two minutes later Hall had his second try and Leeds their third.

Webb broke from full-back and supplied Keith Senior, who embarked on a strong run down the left flank before showing intelligence to find Hall in support.

Hall was not to be denied and finished clinically in the corner for a score which Sinfield managed to convert, after his previous two failures with the boot.

Leeds began to move through the gears and it came as no surprise when Webb showed clever footwork and impressive pace to weave his way through for a fourth Leeds try seven minutes before the break.

Sinfield added the extras from just wide of the posts and Leeds had a fifth try on the stroke of half-time when replacement Lauitiiti found Senior and he again put Hall in at the corner.

Sinfield claimed his third goal from five attempts to put Leeds 26-6 ahead and effectively out of sight.

Smith found the space to go over in the 46th minute for a try which Sinfield converted with ease but Castleford snatched their second score three minutes later when Chase touched down.

Westerman added the conversion but Leeds had their seventh try soon after when prop Kylie Leuluai's aggression took him over the line, and Sinfield landed his 1,000th career goal.

Hall brought the house down on the hour mark when he seized on a loose ball and raced over 80 metres to cross the line.

Webb then went over for his second try in the 63rd minute and Burrow and Peacock further exploited the weaknesses in the Castleford rearguard to also touch down before Hall claimed his fifth try - his 26th of the season.

Ratu and Lauitiiti completed the punishment in an embarrassingly one-sided encounter in the closing stages and Sinfield ended the night with 10 goals from 14 attempts.


Headingley Insight: Leeds v Castleford
Thu August 13, 2009
Source: www.therhinos.co.uk

In this weeks edition of Headingley Carnegie Insight, Leeds Head Coach Brian McClennan looks ahead to his side's clash with Castleford Tigers this Friday at Headingley Carnegie, kick off 8pm.

HAVE YOUR PLAYERS BENEFITTED FROM A WEEK OFF LAST WEEK?
With us not having a game last weekend due to the Carnegie Challenge Cup semi finals we took the opportunity to give a the players a few days off. They have really benefited from this and come Monday morning everyone was bouncing in training and looking forward to returning to action tonight against Castleford.

With just four games remaining in the regular season we considered Monday morning as Day One to our run in to the Play Offs. If you are going to be a contender for the title come the end of the season now is the time when you start your run and that is exactly what we will be looking to do.

ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO FRIDAY'S DERBY?
I am sure there will be a great atmosphere here tonight for another local derby. The last time we met Castleford it was a really close game but also a high quality game which was remarkable given the conditions that that game was played in. We are looking forward to challenging ourselves against the Tigers again.

WHO DO YOU SEE AS THE DANGERS IN THE CASTLEFORD TEAM?
Rangi Chase and Ryan McGoldrick are very dangerous players for them as they are highly creative. Michael Shenton is a quality centre and I like the enterprising style of rugby they play. They are prepared to attack whenever they get the ball and it is a brand of footie that suits them. Chase in particular has been outstanding in his attack and will be a threat to us.

The fact that they should now make the top eight play offs shows the progress that they have made in just a year and it is a great advertisement from continuity and stability at a club. Terry Matterson and his coaching staff have grown the base of young players at their disposal and for them to be now on the brink of a play off spot is a great achievement for a proud club who represent a proud area for Rugby League. It is a great achievement for everyone associated with their club.

HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU SIDE IS SHAPING UP NOW?
We have reviewed our last game against Warrington over the past fortnight and we have taken a lot of heart from some aspects of our play in the last quarter. Other than a two minute period in the last twenty minutes, when we let them in for a try, I thought we began to show what we are made off. The play in the final quarter was a ray of light and we need to grab hold of that and make some progress as a team from those moments. It was a spark that I had been looking for for a while, it is now our job to turn that spark into a flame and I am really looking forward to seeing the boys back out there on Friday night doing their job.

Thu August 13, 2009
• McGuire looking to maintain Tigers record
  

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