It was a great evening at Sewell Group Craven Park for Leeds Rhinos Under-16s as Mark Butterill’s side beat Hull KR 52-16 in a convincing performance.

Despite making a shaky start from kick off, the Rhinos hit the front early on as Bobby Hartley opened the scoring. Starting with the ball near their own goal line, Lloyd McEwan-Peters, Harry Taylor and Jacob Stead did well to bring the ball away before Hartley sent loose forward Presley Cassell through the Robins’ defence. With two players in support, Cassell chose to pass inside to Hartley who scored dramatically in the corner.

Leeds then scored back to back efforts to establish a strong lead. Cassell continued to terrorize the Hull KR defence to get the Rhinos back on the front foot and then a slick move saw Harley Thomas opened space up on the edge for winger Harry Taylor to touch down. Then straight from kick off,  a dart out of dummy half by Mason Corbett saw the hooker break into the back field. With only the full back to beat, he found Archie Hurford, who sprinted the last remaining metres to score under the posts. Kai Taylor-Smith converted his first goal of the game.

Hull KR got a try back as their centre beat the Rhinos’ edge defence from close range but the visitors responded to restore their advantage. Off the back of a knock on as Hull KR were trying the play the ball,  Taylor-Smith almost scored straight from the scrum feed, but the Robins’ defence rushed to stop him. Still with the momentum, prop Declan Ementon took a strong drive at the line and managed to get the ball down, even though there was three Hull KR defenders in his way. Taylor-Smith converted to make the score 20-6.

Thomas added his name to the score sheet before the half time whistle – the centre slicing open the Hull KR defence after a break from Jack Wilson – and then another break away try, initiated by Cassell, saw Taylor-Smith score the Rhinos’ sixth try of the half.

Hull KR got two quick tries before the break to make the score 30-16, but Leeds closed out a great evening with four tries in the second half.

After working their way back into their rhythm, an inventive scrum play saw Harry Smith feed McEwan-Peters, who barraged his way passed two defenders to break away and score. Minutes later, the game was won by substitute Marcus Qareqare. Hull KR were camped on the Rhinos’ try line and when it looked like the home side were going to break through, a wayward pass was picked off by Qareqare, who sprinted 90 metres to score a great solo effort. Harry Smith converted the latter to take the score to 30-16.

Cassell, who had been excellent all game, was rewarded with a try too as the loose forward did well to take a flat pass from Smith to power his way over the line. Then inside the last ten minutes, more ill-discipline from Hull KR was punished as Hurford scored his second of the game thanks to another quick, short pass from Cassell. Taylor-Smith took over kicking duties once again and converted from in front to make the final score 52-16.