Sinfield's a muddy marvel for Rhinos

Leeds 18 Hull 4

Kevin Sinfield was Captain

Fantastic for Leeds Rhinos

as they slugged out a mudfest

with Super League

Grand Final runners-up

Hull at Headingley.

Sinfield’s second-half try and his three

goals from four attempts were crucial

scores on a night which had little to do

with summer rugby.

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Sinfield, as always, led by example and

unstinting defence laid the foundation for

his team’s second successive win. But

when the summer comes, both of these

sides will be challenging for honours and

demonstrating their high quality as well

as their strength and iron will.

Leeds coach Tony Smith said: "Our

defence was outstanding tonight. The

only try we conceded was when the ball

stopped dead in the mud. The players

should be proud of themselves."

Leeds had Great Britain captain Jamie

Peacock back in their pack only a couple

of weeks after fracturing an eye socket and

Lee Smith on the left wing for the injured

Ashley Gibson.

They also had New Zealand Test full

back Brent Webb, already captivating the

Rhinos fans, and prop Kyle Leuluai making

their home Super League debuts.

Hull, down on strength against the Catalans,

were still missing play-maker Paul

Cooke, Willie Manu and Paul King, all

injured, and also lined up without their new

captain Lee Radford, down with flu, and

centre Sid Domic, out with concussion.

It was never going to be a classic on a

draining gluepot of a pitch which had

absorbed nearly an inch of rain and was

still being peppered from the heavens at

kick-off.

Leeds were happy to take a six-point

advantage into their dressing room at the

halfway stage, courtesy of one of the few

sweeping moves of the game.

Smithscoredit, after 18

minutes, diving over in the right-hand

corner from Clinton Toopi’s pass after Gareth Ellis, Matt Diskin

and Rob Burrow had rewarded a superb break by the impressive

Webb.

Toopi must have

b e e n delighted and relieved

after an indifferent start to the

game including a couple of elementary

mistakes. Even more

impressive than the Leeds try

was Sinfield’s conversion from

the touchline.

Leeds could have been behind

at that stage if Tommy Lee’s

grubber kick had not stuck in a

puddle after hitting an upright.

But, generally, Leeds had the

upper hand.

And the lively Smith might

have had another try after outjumping

Hull’s Great Britain

winger Gareth Raynor to catch

Danny McGuire’s kick and

chasing his own grubber kick to

the corner without being able

to nail it.

Leeds went for the jugular with

some huge hits at the start of the

second half and it softened up

Hull sufficiently for the Rhinos to

fashion their second try from a

quick play-the-ball by Ellis.

Webb could have gone for the

Hull line himself from Ali Lauitiiti’s

off-load but returned the

ball inside to Sinfield and

his captain went in near the

posts to score his first try for a

year before adding the two

points.

But Hull dug in and when a

kick to the corner from Lee

stuck in the mud and Matt Sing

skidded past the ball, he turned

and touched down. The video

referee had to rule whether Sing

had put a foot out of play first.

He gave the wingman the benefit

of the doubt.

The conditions then worked

against Leeds to deny tiny

scrum half Rob Burrow a try

when he chased a cute kick from

McGuire but overran it when

the ball stuck in the mud.

Leeds rolled forward again and

their big prop Ryan Bailey,

hardly a prolific try-scorer, wrestled

his way over on his back

from Jordan Tansey’s pass.

Sinfield goaled.

Unimpressed Hull coach Peter

Sharp said: "We looked underdone

physically and lacked

spark."