Leeds Rhinos saw their winning start to Tetley’s Rugby Super League IX blown away by St Helens with a 56-10 defeat at Knowsley Road.

Saints dominated from the off, heaping pressure on Leeds from the start and after Bai was unable to get to Sean Long's bomb, Saints took the lead immediately from the scrum, Long and Paul Wellens linking for Willie Talau to put Ade Gardner in at the corner.

They added a second try within a minute of the restart, Keith Mason's offload allowing Keiron Cunningham to race through and give Lee Gilmour a 40 metre gallop to the line, Long goaling.

Francis Cummins twice prevented Talau extending the lead, but there was little Leeds could do to stop Saints adding a third try on 20 minutes.  Paul Sculthorpe put Martin Gleeson through with a fine inside pass, and Jason Hooper supported on the inside to race in.

Long converted, and then put Sculthorpe over three minutes later, a third goal creating a 22-0 cushion.  After a length of the field interception was just halted by Walker, Wellens put Hooper through a gap from the play-the-ball for a fifth score,
Long moved Saints' lead out to 32-0 with two early penalties in the second half, and the misery continued on 53 minutes.

This time, it came from a classic kick return from Darren Albert, the Australian winger raced 70 yards up the middle to score.

Tongan centre Willie Talau then powering through to go half the length of the field, Long's goal giving them a 44-0 lead.
Rob Burrow got Leeds off the mark on the hour when he darted out of dummy half and scooted 25 yards to the line.
However, Hardman then went over for the home side and Hooper then brought up the half century before Chris Feather dived in with seven minutes remaining.