Rhinos News
The Rhinos got a great chance from kick off when the Crusaders allowed Kevin Sinfield's kick off to bounce dead however a knock on by Danny McGuire let the visitors off the hook and they were able to break clear.
Leeds had another chance after eight minutes but Scott Donald was unlucky not to collect SInfield's cross field kick. However, it was not long before the Champions took the lead.
Keith Senior broke through 35 metres out before passing to Jamie Jones-Buchanan. He drew the last defender and passed back inside to Lee Smith to score. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 6-0 after 10 minutes.
The Rhinos then increased that lead through Donald but it was created by teenage sensational Kallum Watkins. The young centre produce a sublime offload to send his winger away down the touchline and he then crashed over the top of Tony Duggan to score in the corner. Sinfield was unlucky with his touchline conversion attempt but the Rhinos now led 10-0 after 17 minutes.
Leeds were in a ruthless mood and they crossed for their third try six minutes later. Ryan Hall anticipating Tony Duggan's pass brilliantly, juggled the ball and then set off 20 metres to score. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 16-0.
Celtic then had a try disallowed for Darren Mapp when video referee Richard Silverwood correctly spotted a block on Danny McGuire by Jordan James.
The Rhinos made the visitors pay for their error and scored within a minute. A high kick by McGuire was caught well by Hall and he offloaded to debutant McShane five metres from the line. The former Hunslet Parkside amateur showed a cool head in the freezing conditions and passed back inside over his head to Smith, who went over for his second try. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 22-0 after 35 minutes.
Leeds started the second half strongly and looked to have extended their lead after 45 minutes through Kallum Watkins. However, play was taken back across the field after the touch judge had spotted that McShane grubber kick had bounced off Senior in an offside position.
Both teams were guilty of making handling errors as the temperature dropped at Headingley Carnegie however eventually it was the visitors who scored next as Luke Dyer crossed for his side's first ever try in Super League, racing through to latch onto a long range through kick by Jace Van Dijk. Josh Hannay added the conversion to make it 22-6 after 57 minutes.
The game was in danger of fizzling out in the closing stages however that all changed after 73 minutes when a fight erupted from a scrum and both teams had a player sent to the sin bin for their part in it. Adam Peek appeared to be the intial aggressor however Jamie Peacock retaliated and both earned a ten minute rest.
That sparked the game into life and it was followed soon after by a big hit by Luke Burgess that left the young prop dazed as he had to be helped from the field.
The Rhinos looked to finally put the game beyond doubt and with five minutes left it looked they had when Keith Senior crossed for a try. However, video referee Silverwood adjudged that Sinfield had blocked Dyer's attempted tackle on McGuire.
However, Leeds did have the last word when Carl Ablett forced his way over in the last second from close range. Sinfiedl added the conversion to give the Rhinos an opening day 28-6 win over the Crusaders.
Leeds Rhinos: Smith, Donald, Watkins, Senior, Hall, Sinfield, McGuire, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Lauitiiti, Ablett
Subs: Allan, McShane, Burgess, Kirke
Celtic Crusaders: Duggan, Dyer, Hannay, Dalle Cort, Blackwood, Smith, Van Dijk, O'Hara, Budworth, Bryant, Peek, Mapp, Lupton
Subs: Quinn, Flower, James, Beasley
Referee: Ben Thaler
Attendance: 14,827
