By Sam Brocksom

Leeds Rhinos Women kicked off their Super League season with a bang as they ran in 13 tries in a 66-4 victory over Huddersfield Giants that involved hat-tricks for three different players.

The Rhinos started the game excellently as three tries from Zoe Hornby, Caitlin Beevers and Evie Cousins set out a 14-point lead after 13 minutes. First, Hornby made a great line break to open the scoring before Beevers made her comeback a good one after receiving a ball from Rugby Enright to go over in the corner. That was before Evie Cousins added another to her Rhinos account with a try on the right edge.

It was just under a quarter gone when Huddersfield got their first points of the game. Amelia Brown crossed for a try, as she did in the Challenge Cup match two weeks ago. Townend’s conversion didn’t have enough on it so the Rhinos led by 10.

One Huddersfield try wouldn’t stop the Rhinos as they stepped up another gear, scoring four tries in 10 minutes. First, Beevers slid over on the left just as she did for her first, before Lucy Murray found a gap in the Giants’ defence before powering over the full-back to score next to the posts.

Following a pinpoint kick from captain Hanna Butcher, Cousins added her second of the game making it four tries in two matches for the youngster. Last but not least for the first half, Murray collected the ball from Keara Bennett on the halfway line and sprinted her way to the line to add her second of the game. Three out of the four were converted by Enright, giving the Rhinos a 36-4 lead at the break.

The Rhinos started the second half as they did the first by converting their chances into points. Enright added her name to the try-scoring tally as she received a flick-on from Shona Hoyle, allowing her to cross on the left. Three minutes later, it was hat-trick time for Murray who used her strength and agility to find her way over the line.

Birthday girl Sophie Robinson managed to find her way in on the action as she received a pass from Enright to go over. Minutes later, Cousins was the second person to get her hat-trick. The winger rounded her opposite number before running in under sticks. Enright could only convert the latter, leaving the score 54-4.

What came next can only be described as sensational from Hornby, as the prop forward took the ball in on the 30-metre line, broke the defence before sprinting away and rounding the cover defender to score under the posts. Moments later, she crossed for a hat-trick in what most would describe as a conventional prop forward’s try by crashing over the line from short range to round off the victory.

The Rhinos host Warrington Wolves women on Saturday 27^th April as they look to continue their unbeaten start to the season.

Leeds: Enright, Cousins, Beevers, Hardcastle, Whitehead, Butcher, Casey, Hornby, Cudjoe, Northrop, Murray, Hoyle, Dainton. Subs: Robinson, Bennett, Glynn, Donnelly.

Tries: Cousins x3, Murray x3, Hornby x3, Beevers x2, Enright, Robinson

Goals: Enright 7/13