Leeds Rhinos 62 Harlequins 4: Leeds quick to bounce back after Storm loss

LEEDS RHINOS bounced back from their bruising World Club Challenge defeat with a thumping victory over Harlequins.

Leeds led at the interval through tries from Brent Webb (two) and Ryan Hall and ran in nine more in a rampant second-half display to signal their return to form at Headingley.

It took the Rhinos just four minutes to take the lead, Rob Burrow finding Jay Pitts with a well-timed flat ball before Webb finished off the move.

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Burrow hit the post with the conversion and three minutes later Quins pulled level when Chris Melling came up with a high cross-field kick which Jamie O'Callaghan grabbed ahead of debutant Tom Bush before dropping over.

Ben Jones-Bishop produced two try-saving tackles but his efforts were in vain as Leeds took the lead for a second time in the 27th minute.

Burrow made the initial break and when the cover arrived he popped the ball to the supporting Webb to canter over. Burrow then added the extras before a third try arrived shortly before the break when Webb found Hall with a huge, floating pass.

Leeds noticeably grew in confidence after the restart and when Webb sliced his way through the Quins defence, they were always struggling to recover.

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Quick ball allowed Luke Burgess to make the break before he found Danny Buderus who went over before grabbing his second five minutes later.

Leeds stretched their lead through Ali Lauitiiti in the 59th minute and Danny McGuire got in on the act with a try three minutes later.

Burrow laid one on for Kallum Watkins, Hall squeezed his way over in the corner and Lauitiiti became one of four players to score a brace on the night.

Keith Senior and Bush heaped further misery on the Quins late in the day but their opponents were already soundly beaten.

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Leeds: Webb, Hall, Watkins, Senior, Bush, McGuire, Burrow, Bailey, Diskin, Peacock, Eastwood, Pitts, Jones-Buchanan. Substitutes: Buderus, Burgess, Lauitiiti, Leuluai.

Harlequins RL: Jones-Bishop, O'Callaghan, Clubb, Howell, Sharp, Melling, Edwards, Wilkes, Randall, Ward, Williamson, Bolger, Golden. Substitutes: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Bryan, Bibb, Smith.

Referee: T Alibert (Toulouse).