• Super League

Rhinos belatedly break down determined Crusaders

Leeds Rhinos overcame stormy conditions and a spirited Crusaders side to record a 34-6 win in the opening match of Super League XV.

Last term's Grand Final champions looked set to suffer at a snowy Racecourse Ground with the scores tied 6-6 on the hour, but they took advantage of undercooked and fatigued opponents to go over for five tries in the last 20 minutes.

Crusaders, bottom of the table last year, were significant underdogs prior to kick-off due to their lack of pre-season preparation. Brian Noble's side, hindered by persistently icy weather, had been unable to train regularly or complete a trial match before the Rhinos' visit.

Despite their players unfamiliarity to each other, the ingenuity of Michael Witt's kicking - both placed and in open play - kept Crusaders competitive for the first 60 minutes in front of a sell-out crowd at their new Wrexham base.

After Scott Donald's try cancelled an early Witt goal to make it 6-2, ex-Leeds man Gareth Raynor went over in the corner to level the scores. The match remained tied - with Rhinos finding it hard to break down their opponents' resilient centre - until the floodgates opened in the 65th minute, prompted by a breakaway Danny Maguire try that seemed to sap the energy from Crusaders legs.

Leeds' other tries, all bar one converted into a maximum by Kevin Sinfield's boot, came from Ali Lauitiiti twice, Brett Delaney and Sinfield himself. The game's outstanding player Maguire, visibly relieved afterwards, paid tribute to the tenacity of the Welsh outfit.

"It was a tough game. We showed in the second half what we are capable of," he said. "There's lots to work on, but overall a pleasing first outing."

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