Battling Hull can provide no answer to Senior service

Leeds 46 Hull 3

(PA)

The Super League champions got the attacking side of their game into its best shape so far this season as they outscored Hull in the most open and entertaining of games. Leeds pulled away from opponents they will face again in the Challenge Cup next weekend, with important contributions from Keith Senior and Kevin Sinfield.

Hull, missing both first-choice half-backs, hardly looked equipped for the task and, after five minutes, they were behind: Sinfield's kick brought Leeds an extra six tackles and Senior scored on the opposite side of the pitch.

Sinfield's break down the middle set up the second, with Rob Burrow supporting to send Ryan Hall in for his first try. Some dazzling handling paved the way for his second, with Senior supplying the final pass.

Hull, however, showed that they were not overawed, scoring two tries from their fine young wing prospect, Tom Briscoe. Both were set up by the forgotten man of the Test back-line, Kirk Yeaman; the first with the cleanest of breaks and the second with a superbly improvised pass.

Briscoe completed his hat-trick early in the second half, but this was a game when the tries came in blocks – and the Rhinos responded with five of them in 20 minutes. Ali Lauitiiti stretched over the line for the first of them, Senior exchanged passes with Brent Webb for the next and Rob Burrow capitalised on Hall's break. Jamie Jones-Buchanan then went over and Danny McGuire cashed in on Lee Smith's burst.

With the ball in hand Leeds were superb; not so in defence, as their coach, Brian McClennan, admitted. That allowed Hull to finish with a purple patch of their own, starting with Craig Hall's intercept try. Briscoe then achieved the rare feat of scoring four tries in defeat before Jordan Turner's effort ended the fun and games.

Leeds: Webb; Smith, Delaney, Senior, R Hall; McGuire, Burrow; Leuluai, Buderus, Bailey, Jones-Buchanan, Lauitiiti, Sinfield. Substitutes used: Kirke, Burgess, Diskin, Ablett.

Hull: Tansey; Whiting, C.Hall, Yeaman, Briscoe; Turner, Washbrook; Cusack, Berrigan, O'Meley, Manu, Lauaki, Radford. Substitutes used: Houghton, Dowes, Moa, Burnett.

Referee: P Bentham (Warrington).