Giant performance from Lunt sees Rhinos triumph

Hooker Lunt only linked up with his new colleagues on Monday after joining from Huddersfield Giants until the end of season.

However, the impressive manner in which he directed the champions around the Headingley pitch last night, against one of the competition’s form sides, seemed as if he had been wearing blue and amber as long as Kevin Sinfield.

Lunt, who toured with England in 2010 yet somehow found himself fourth-choice hooker at leaders Huddersfield, topped his assured display with a try on the hour mark as their French opponents’ five-game winning run was brought to a shuddering halt.

It was all the more impressive considering he played the full 80 minutes and, with it confirmed Rob Burrow will miss four weeks due to a fractured cheekbone, the 25-year-old’s timely acquisition looks like astute business by Rhinos coach Brian McDermott

The only time Leeds have performed better this season was the epic World Club Challenge.

Brett Delaney was again involved all over, the industrious second-row showing just why he has been selected for the Exiles, Ben Jones-Bishop grabbed a brace while Zak Hardaker continued his remarkable scoring streak with a try for an eighth successive game.

But, as a side, Leeds were efficient from the off, forging ahead confidently to take a 12-0 lead inside only 11 minutes.

Jones-Bishop and Ryan Hall, their powerful wingers, both benefited indirectly from the inadequacies of Catalan wideman Damien Cardace.

The young Frenchman scored four tries on debut against Widnes earlier this season, but here he was facing quality opposition and he was clinically exposed.

First, Jones-Bishop rose effortlessly above him as he stayed rooted to collect Sinfield’s pinpoint kick and skilfully touch down.

Soon after, Cardace made a mess of a similar Sinfield kick and, from the 20m scrum, Danny McGuire crabbed too easily across the line before Brett Webb injected, as so often the Kiwi full-back does, to supply a pass for Hall’s finish.

Sinfield converted both times and Leeds fans must have been wondering what all the fuss was about this current Gallic ensemble who were sitting pretty in third.

However, Catalan’s customary brute force quickly came into the equation as their mountainous forwards found their rhythm to apply some pressure.

Hurling relentlessly towards the line, Leeds seemed to have absorbed their opponents’ best efforts only to see a bizarre incursion by touch judge James Child give them one more chance.

The Dewsbury official rushed on to rule McGuire had checked Steve Menzies as Hall waited to defuse a hanging Scott Dureau kick.

The Leeds line was tested, Dureau and Leon Pryce attempting to open them up with their flair, and Vinnie Anderson finally breached them, Dureau converted.

However, after Lunt’s terrific tackle on Menzies, some quality footwork from Carl Ablett squeezed Jones-Bishop in again to make it 16-6 at the break.

For all Cardace’s indecision, it was his more experienced colleague on the other flank who gifted Leeds their decisive try on 47 minutes. Sinfield’s kick seemed benign enough initially as he unusually sliced it away from the danger zone.

But it dipped at the last moment and France international winger Cyril Stacul embarrassingly fumbled as he stooped to defuse.

Hardaker was on hand to pick up the easiest of his 13 tries this season.

Leeds, however, switched off momentarily soon after, and that is all that is required for Pryce to make a deadly incision.

As Catalan kept the ball alive near the Rhinos line, the former Bradford Bulls stand-off jinxed through with his trademark drop of a shoulder and Menzies, the legendary Australian veteran, was there to fall over the whitewash.

Dureau made it 22-12 but Lunt, with a little help from Jamie Peacock, ensured there was no wobble.

Moments after having one ruled out for a forward pass from Ablett, the Cumbrian dived over from close range after Catalan’s marker defence went AWOL following Jamie Peacock’s surging run.

Menzies may turn 39 in December but, even with all his experience, he could not avoid that old temptation of stretching over when tackled so close to the line so his swift response was ruled out for double movement.

Leeds prop Ryan Bailey does not know too much about crossing the try-line at all given he had scored just 12 tries since making his debut 10 years ago.

But he got his second in as many games last night since converting to loose forward, latching onto another thoughtful Delaney pass to give Sinfield, in his 450th career game, a fifth conversion.

All of which rendered Pryce’s late try a mere consolation for Catalan who have now lost on all eight visits to the famous stadium and have sixth-placed Leeds breathing down their necks.

Leeds: Webb; Jones-Bishop, Ablett, Hardaker, Hall; Sinfield, McGuire; Leuluai, Lunt, Peacock, Clarkson, Delaney, Bailey. Substitutes: Smith, Griffin, Moore, Kirke.

Catalan: Millard; Stacul, Duport, Raguin, Cardace; Pryce, Dureau; Paea, Henderson, Casty, Menzies, Anderson, Sa. Substitutes: Simon, Fakir, Baitieri, Fisher.

Referee: B Thaler (Wakefield).