The Rhinos had eight different try scorers as they turned on the style to draw level with leaders St Helens, who visit Harlequins tomorrow, while the out-classed Tigers look certain to collect the wooden spoon after conceding a half-century of points for the fifth time this year.

The final touches to a one-sided match were applied by England second rower Gareth Ellis, who rounded off what could have been his final appearance at Headingley Carnegie with a last-minute conversion of Tansey's third try.

Leeds were simply awesome at times, but they were aided by a calamitous start from the visitors, who had hooker Scott Moore sin-binned in the third minute and conceded two tries in his absence.

The Tigers, who were led out by Craig Huby on his 100th appearance, were dealt a blow before kick-off when experienced scrum-half Brent Sherwin pulled out with a foot injury.

And they were on the backfoot once Moore was shown the yellow card by French referee Thierry Alibert on the intervention of touch judge James Child for a late tackle on Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield.

Winger Ashley Gibson, deputising for leading try scorer Scott Donald on only his second appearance of the season and his first for five months due to injury, immediately took advantage when he squeezed over at the corner for his first try for almost 18 months.

The Tigers were still a man short when Rob Burrow supported a break by his half-back partner Danny McGuire to touch down but the return of Moore briefly helped stem the tide.

The visitors managed to put the champions under pressure and were rewarded on 20 minutes when right-winger Richard Owen took Luke Dorn's long pass to cross at the corner and Kirk Dixon added the touchline conversion.

But, with Ellis setting a superb example, Leeds easily re-asserted their authority with three further tries in the second quarter.

Makeshift centre Carl Ablett sent in winger Lee Smith, who then returned the favour after taking Sinfield's high kick, before second rower Ali Lauitiiti proved unstoppable on a 10-metre run to the line.

The Rhinos' lead at half-time would have been even more emphatic had Sinfield succeeded with more than two of his five conversion attempts, while Lauitiiti had a second try disallowed for obstruction.

Leeds picked up in the second half as they finished the first and extended their lead after 46 minutes when hooker Tansey raced on to Burrow's perfectly-judged grubber kick to register try number six.

Sinfield's third goal made it
30-6 but the Rhinos then became sloppy and outclassed Castleford were grateful to hang on.

It took a superb off-load from Ablett to get the scoreboard ticking over once again as the ever-dangerous Brent Webb raced onto his pass and touched down for the best try of the match.

Castleford rallied and pulled a try back through stand-off Ryan McGoldrick after 65 minutes but Leeds finished in supreme control with two further superbly-executed touchdowns.

The magnificent Burrow scooted clear to send McGuire over and then slick passing enabled Tansey to score his second try, with Sinfield taking his goal tally to six.

Tansey then sprinted 80 minutes for an interception try to complete his hat-trick and Ellis fittingly rounded off the scoring with the goal.

Leeds Rhinos: Webb, Smith, Ablett, Senior, Gibson, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Ellis, Kirke, Sinfield. Substitutes: Lauitiiti, Scruton, Burgess, Tansey.

Castleford Tigers: Donlan, Owen, Shenton, Dixon, Wainwright, McGoldrick, Dorn, Higgins, Moore, Huby, Guttenbeil, Lupton, Westerman. Substitutes: Leafa, Henderson, Catic, Sargent.

Referee: T Alibert (France).