Leeds Rhinos thrash York Knights 46-14 at Headingley
leeds rhinos ran eight tries past newly-promoted York Knights to claim a 46-14 victory at Headingley, handing the visitors a harsh Super League lesson and giving the hosts their first win of the campaign ahead of a trip to Las Vegas to face Hull KR next week.
Eight tries, three standout scorers and a rampaging Sivo
The hosts scored eight tries through James McDonnell, Maika Sivo, Chris Hankinson, Ryan Hall, Brodie Croft and Harry Newman, while Jake Connor added seven goals to complete the 46 points. Brodie Croft was one of six try scorers for Leeds and was prominent in the attacking combinations that broke the game open.
Match turned after a tight opening half
The contest was level at 6-6 after James McDonnell’s try for Leeds and Paul Vaughan’s reply for York, but Maika Sivo and Ryan Hall touched down within three minutes to push Leeds clear before Chris Hankinson’s score left the Rhinos 22-6 at the interval. The two sides had met for the first time since 1995, and York had arrived at Headingley on the back of an opening-round upset over Hull KR.
Leeds Rhinos power on in the second half
Leeds opened the second half quickly with Hall scoring again, and further tries from Brodie Croft, Harry Newman and a second from Sivo sealed the win and confirmed Leeds’ first victory of the Super League campaign. Hall’s double moved his career tally into the 300s, with the second try coming from a 45-metre interception that underscored his experience.
York’s highlights and milestones
York replied through Jordan Thompson — his try coming on his 200th appearance — and Scott Galeano, who touched down at the end of the game. The Knights had shown early promise in the season, having stunned league champions Hull KR in round one, but Leeds’ composure and clinical attacking sets exposed the step up in quality during long attacking sequences at Headingley.
Maika Sivo’s two tries were notable: he finished both with bruising carries and his performance marked a return after a year-long absence from competitive fixtures due to an ACL injury, a boost for the leeds rhinos backline as they prepare for a busy period on the schedule.
Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur reflected on the performance, saying: "I was really happy with 75 minutes of it, but I want us to be ruthless with five minutes to go. We should have scored another try, but in the end conceded a soft one. Our defence this year is not where it needs to be. The tries we've had scored against us haven't been good enough, we're not making them work hard enough. But it's only round two, it gives us something to work on. " He also praised York’s early-season form, saying: "They proved their worth in the competition. "
Leeds now head into a scheduled trip to Las Vegas next week to face Hull KR, carrying the attacking efficiency they showed at Headingley and the seven-goal haul from Jake Connor into that high-profile fixture.
