The Rhinos have finished off their regular season campaign with a resounding 60-12 win over Catalans Dragons with a hat trick from Jordan Tansey.
The Rhinos were looking to get back to winning ways ahead of the Play offs whilst Catalans Dragons had nothing but pride to play for on their first visit to Headingley Carnegie.
Tony Smith rotated his forwards for this game with Ian Kirke and Nick Scruton coming into the starting line up.
Leeds showed clear intent from the off to rid the memory of last weeks demolition at St Helens and were quickly on the scoreboard when Scott Donald made a break down the South Stand touchline before drawing the man and passing back inside to Jordan Tansey, who scampered home for the try. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 6-0 after 3 minutes.
The lead was doubled four minutes later. Clinton Toopi went close before being tackled short however the ball was quickly fed through the hands to Williams on the wing who touched down. Sinfield converted from the sideline.
In the next set the Rhinos were in again. Good offloading close to their own line opened up the Catalans defence before Rob Burrow danced through the defence and flicked a pass back inside to Senior. He drew the last man and had three men in support but picked Tansey who went in for his second try of the game. Sinfield again added the conversion to make it 18-0 after 10 minutes.
After such a great start, Leeds were guilty of going to sleep soon after their third try. From a penalty 15 metres out, Catalans moved the ball across field and full back Thomas Bosc brushed off some weak defence to score. Frayssinous added the conversion to make it 18-6 after 14 minutes.
The game could not keep up the hectic pace of the opening quarter and both teams were guilty of some poor handling that frustrated the momentum of the game.
However, Leeds extended their lead after 29 minutes when the ball was passed quickly along the back line and Toopi put Donald in for his 23rd try of the season, although the last pass did appear to be forward. Kevin Sinfield did not hang around to argue and duly added the conversion from the touchline to make it 24-6. Diskin created the score by spotting a lazy Catalans defender. He used the shield to move up field before finding Thackray who bulldozed his way upfield. He produced a great offload to Bailey who passed to. Sinfield. The Leeds captain quickly released Gareth Ellis who dummied and then powered his way to the line. Sinfield added the conversion to make it 30-6.
The Rhinos were once again guilty of relaxing at the re-start. Tansey knocked on the kick off and Catalans moved the ball from South to North and Justin Murphy went in at the corner to extend his lead over Danny McGuire at the top of the try scorers chart to two
The next try was a great team effort. Frayssinous kicked the conversion to make it 30-12.
On the brink of half time Jordan Tansey produced a sublime piece of skill to score from half way and complete a first half hat trick, the first of his senior career. Burrow added the conversion to make it 36-12 at the interval.
Keith Senior got the ball rolling at the start of the second half as he latched onto a great pass to stride through and score under the posts. Burrow added the conversion to make it 42-12.
Leeds should have had another shortly afterwards, Danny McGuire broke through 40 metres out and had Rob Burrow on his right but decided to offer a reverse pass to Jamie Thackray who knocked on with the line at his mercy.
Jamie Jones-Buchanan finally got the Rhinos ninth try of the night as he crashed over from short range. Sinfield had returned to the field by this stage and the conversion to make it 54-12 after 72 minutes.
Five minutes later Danny Williams crossed for his second try of the night of a great pass from Ellis, Sinfield adding the touchline conversion to make it a perfect night for the Rhinos with ten converted tries.
Leeds: Tansey, Donald, Toopi, Senior, Williams, McGuire, Burrow, Scruton, Diskin, Jones-Buchanan, Kirke, Ellis, Sinfield.
Subs: Millard, Thackray, Lauitiiti, Bailey
Catalans: Bosc, Murphy, Khattabi, Sadaoui, Verges, Frayssinous, Jones, Griffi, Berthezene, Fellous, Guisset, Mounis, Hindmarsh.
Subs: Fakir, Chan, Beattie, Touxagas
Ref: Karl Kirkpatrick
Attendance: 13,391
