LEEDS Rhinos got their engage Super League campaign off to a winning start but were made to fight by Huddersfield Giants.
Led by Chris Thorman, their stand-off, the Giants might have won at Headingley yesterday had they shown more respect for possession. But despite leading only 14-6 at the break, the Rhinos always had plenty in hand and spent much of the second half camped on the Giants’ line.
Leeds opened the scoring on 13 minutes thanks to Matt Diskin, their hooker, sending Kevin Sinfield in for a try under the posts which the scorer converted. Tries from Scott Donald, the Australian wing, and Lee Smith ended the first-half scoring, sandwiching a try from Albert Torrens, the Huddersfield centre, and a conversion by Thorman.
When another Giants pass hit the floor, Danny McGuire, the stand-off, sped away to score. Huddersfield’s reply was a 66th-minute penalty try.
SCORERS: Leeds Rhinos: Tries: Sinfield, Donald, Smith, McGuire. Goals: Sinfield 2 Huddersfield Giants: Tries: Torrens, penalty try. Goals: Thorman 2.
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LEEDS RHINOS: R Mathers; S Donald, C Walker, K Senior, L Smith; D McGuire, R Burrow; R Bailey, M Diskin, J Peacock, A Lauitiiti, G Ellis, K Sinfield. Substitutes: S Millard, W Poching, J Jones-Buchanan, N Scruton.
HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS: P Reilly; M Aspinwall, J Evans, A Torrens, M De Vere; C Thorman, R Paul; W McDonald, B Drew, P Jackson, P Smith, S Jones, S Wild. Substitutes: E Crabtree, C Nero, S Snitch, P March.
Referee: S Ganson.