Summary

  • FT: St Helens 16-41 Leeds

  • Ash Handley runs in first-half hat-trick for Leeds

  • Hardaker, McGuire, Sutcliffe and Moon also go over for Rhinos

  • Makinson and Turner (2) for Saints

Live Reporting

Matt Newsum

  1. Well. It's not been a ding-dong battle in the mould of last night's Super League encounter between Wigan and Warrington, but Leeds have been scintillating at times.

    Defensively their line-speed has been aggressive and with the ball they've moved Saints all over the park.

    However we saw that went Saints do get it right, they can strike. Plus they have a genuine quality pivot on the bench in Luke Walsh.

    It's a decent lead but this isn't over.

  2. TRY (Handley)

    Ash HandleySWpix.com

    What a season Ash Handley is having. Hat-trick.

    Kallum Watkins snaffled a loose Travis Burns pass with the home side bearing down on the Leeds line and sprinted up field.

    He was eventually tackled but in the subsequent set Liam Sutcliffe measured the perfect kick to the left for Handley on his own to dot down.

    St Helens have been broken by a rampant Rhinos in that first 40. Sinfield off target with the kick but it's a 22-point lead at the break.

  3. St Helens now have a scrum on the Leeds 10. Last minute of the half.

  4. Scrum head and feed Saints right before the half-time hooter.

    That try has roused the natives. Saints look invigorated.

  5. TRY (Makinson, con Burns)

    Jon Wilkin put through a gap for St Helens and he pops a kick through for the onrushing Tommy Makinson.

    The full-back gets fingertip and boot to ball simultanously but chases down the loose kick.

    He touches down. Travis Burns converts. Saints are off the mark.

  6. Kallum Watkins' pace is causing St Helens problems, as are the slick hands up the middle.

    His kick down the right touchline bounces into touch and while Saints have the scrum, Leeds are again playing in opposition territory.

  7. Trading tries, the sequel

    Over at Belle Vue, Wakefield and Halifax continue to trade tries.

    No sooner are Fax back in it through Gareth Potts then Chris Riley pulls Wakefield away once more. Six points in it with 27 minutes to play.

  8. St Helens are struggling for a specialist full-back at the moment, with no Paul Wellens, Jonny Lomax or Lance Hohaia.

    Tommy Makinson is having to fill in tonight, and hasn't been able to get into the game at the moment.

  9. That's better from St Helens.

    Leeds kept their line watertight but Saints at least tried to push the ball wide.

    Adam Swift was wrapped up.

    Rob Burrow on for Leeds now and that is 450 games.

  10. I was at Warrington v Wakefield last weekend and that was a tough watch. Totally one-sided.

    I don't for a minute predict this will be an 80-0 blow out but Saints need something. They're floundering.

  11. Francis Cummins
    Ex-Bradford coach on BBC Radio Leeds

    "Everything Leeds are doing at the moment they are doing quicker then St Helens. The crowd are trying to get their team going but Leeds are just too quick. Their game is too quick for St Helens at the moment."

  12. TRY (McGuire, con Sinfield)

    Danny McGuire moves on to 248 tries for his career with typical support-play.

    Great break by Carl Ablett from Kevin Sinfield's dummy-half pass, Saints players moved out of his way as they were offside and the England utility took advantage to sprint into space.

    One inside ball to McGuire later and Leeds are in for a fourth try.

    Sinfield lands the kick. Saints are stunned.

  13. Just watching Leeds' Kallum Watkins. He puts Riverdance to shame with the number of steps he makes.

    Fantastic player.

    James Roby goes off on a scoot for Saints, but at the moment their passing is all awry.

  14. Big Kyle Amor looked to have got away then after the tackle on Leeds' Liam Sutcliffe but the decision goes against him.

    Nothing going right for Saints at the moment.

  15. St Helens have some devastating backs but they just haven't had a platform on which to work from.

    Danny McGuire's high kick for Leeds is drawn in by Tommy Makinson but it's again deep in his own half.

    Finally a Travis Burns kick puts the visitors back in their own half, though the Rhinos do have head and feed.

  16. St Helens are beginning every set from inside their own 10 metres.

    That saps your reserves.

    Langtree Park is shellshocked.

  17. Ray French
    BBC Radio Merseyside

    "It is all Leeds at the moment and Saints are making a lot of mistakes defensively and in attack when they have got the ball. They are running St Helens ragged. They are so quick."

  18. TRY (Hardaker, con Sutcliffe)

    Zak HardakerPA

    Repeat tries on the restart, this time down to the broken play running of Liam Sutcliffe.

    Zak Hardaker was just one of three or four options for the Rhinos as Sutcliffe swarmed forward from deep inside his own half, and pushed the ball back infield for the England full-back to touch down.

    Sutcliffe steps up to push the ball between the sticks and it's a three-try lead.

  19. TRY (Handley, con Sutcliffe)

    Take a bow Joel Moon.

    Skipped through a flurry of challenges and flicked a delicious back-door pass to Ash Handley for his second try of the game.

    Liam Sutcliffe clears the posts. 12-0.

    St Helens their own worst enemy though for indiscipline in key areas close to their line.

  20. Brett Delaney denied - close to the line! Leeds right on the line.