Leeds Rhinos taught newcomers York a harsh lesson in the quality of the Super League with an eight-try thrashing of the newly-promoted Knights at Headingley.
Meeting for the first time since 1995, York, who stunned champions Hull KR in their opening game, competed well in the first half an hour, with the scores level at 6-6 through tries from James McDonnell for Leeds, and Paul Vaughan for York.
But two tries in three minutes from Maika Sivo and Ryan Hall pushed Brad Arthur’s side clear, before Chris Hankinson gave the Rhinos a comfortable 22-6 lead at the first-half hooter.
The hosts scored quickly after the restart through veteran Hall again, before further tries from Brodie Croft, Harry Newman, and another from the irrepressible Sivo, gave Leeds their first win of the Super League campaign in front of a raucous home crowd.
York head coach Mark Applegarth will have been well aware of the challenge the top flight would pose to his side, but this was put in sharp focus by the composure and ruthlessness of Leeds’ attacking sets.
On occasion they got over with pure brute force, epitomised by Sivo, who scored two tries on his first match in a year with bruising carries.
Hall, who scored his 348th and 349th career tries, demonstrated the experience and guile required at this level, scoring one try from a free-flowing move, and with the second, running 45 metres to run in from an interception.
Jordan Thompson scored a try for York on his 200th appearance, with Scott Galeano going over at the end of the game.
However, this was a performance that highlighted Leeds’ potential this season, after an opening weekend loss to Leigh Leopards.
They will hope to take the efficiency and quality of their performance to Las Vegas next week, as they prepare to take on last season’s treble winners Hull KR.
