Leeds Rhinos 56 Castleford Tigers 0: Depleted Castleford suffer at hand of Rhinos

Castleford’s dejected players needed no reminding last night that they will not be playing in the Challenge Cup final a fortnight today but Leeds’s excitable supporters could not help themselves.

There was no respite when the action began; by the end of a tortuous 80 minutes, the same Rhinos side that had scuppered their Wembley dream in agonising last-gasp style five days earlier, rubbed it in further by inflicting a ruthless 11-try destruction.

There was no need for any late Kevin Sinfield heroics to settle this contest, the Leeds captain instead marshalling a completely one-sided affair and ominously helping record a second successive clean sheet at Headingley Carnegie.

In completing a fifth successive victory, a fit and firing Rhinos will be pleased with their improving form as they prepare for Wigan in London; demoralised Castleford, down in numbers and spirit, will simply be glad to see the end of an immensely painful week.

There had almost been a sense of joie de vivre about the opening exchanges as both sides, maybe with all the pressure of their bruising semi-final at Doncaster behind them, looked to play some quick, expansive football on their return to the bread and butter of Super League.

However, it was the hosts who managed to incorporate enough solidity to make the initial breakthrough and, once they did, jaded opponents who had tackled themselves to a standstill last week, and saw five of that side unavailable, simply did not have the energy to respond.

Leeds scored some quality tries, Ryan Hall’s 24th-minute effort as they established a 20-0 interval lead particularly inspiring following a length-of-the-field movement involving the excellent Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

The manner in which he cut Castleford open straight from Danny Buderus’s 20m restart was a sign of things to come but Hall still showed great finishing prowess to turn Richard Owen inside out.

The Castleford winger had been embarrassed earlier for the game’s opening try when he waited for Danny McGuire’s kick to roll dead. It never even looked like it would. And, unsurprisingly, it did not.

Owen failed to react, leaving Jones-Buchanan the most surprised of all as he was allowed to pounce and score.

A sweeping handling move, involving good work from Brent Webb and Chris Clarkson, then resulted in Kallum Watkins diving over, the sprightly centre who continues to impress on his recent return from wrist surgery.

Sinfield added a third conversion and – after Danny Orr had fumbled over the line with Castleford’s only real chance – the Leeds stand-off added a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

The Tigers, with Kirk Dixon and Brett Ferres both having suffered potentially season-ending injuries in last week’s 10-8 extra-time loss, Ryan Hudson and Paul Jackson also sidelined, and Rangi Chase finally out of the country for a court appearance, did not have the personnel to turn it around.

They needed to score first after the break but, instead, Webb quickly finished off after McGuire’s long pass to Carl Ablett was returned.

Weller Hauraki then immediately fended away Dean Widders to break clear down the right before, as if to perhaps give his tiring opponents a chance, ignoring the obvious support runners inside to find Ben Jones-Bishop with the most difficult of options.

Typically it stuck and the 22-year-old winger, surely playing his way into the England squad, finished with his usual crispness, Sinfield’s touchline conversion attempt striking a post.

The captain then produced a smart dummy to slice Castleford open once more and ease over Ali Lauitiiti as rampant Leeds struck three times in just six minutes.

A succession of errors allowed Castleford to recover slightly but it was only temporary as Ablett broke another challenge from Widders to charge down field and supply Rob Burrow.

The try-scorer took over kicking duties with Sinfield, like Castleford captain Orr, now withdrawn from the action, bigger appointments ahead for both.

Straight from the restart, more weak defence saw the visitors busted again through the middle, Burrow this time racing in from 45m before adding his second kick.

Jones-Bishop demonstrated fine skill and awareness to kick ahead for McGuire to add another after the scrum-half’s pass had initially unleashed him down the right flank.

Webb completed the rout, supporting for his second following another break by Hall, the England winger who is enjoying some of his finest form yet.

Meanwhile, Leeds have signed former Bradford and Wakefield prop Richard Moore, 30, from Crusaders on a three-year deal starting next season.

Depleted Castleford – now three points behind their sixth-placed opponents and needing to beat Wakefield in a week to maintain their play-off bid – could do with some reinforcements now.

Leeds Rhinos: Webb; Jones-Bishop, Watkins, Ablett, Hall; Sinfield, McGuire; Leuluai, Buderus, Peacock, Hauraki, Jones-Buchanan, Clarkson. Substitutes: Kirke, Bailey, Lauitiiti, Burrow.

Castleford Tigers: McGoldrick;Youngquest, Isa, Arundel, Owen; Widders, Orr; Parker, Milner, Davies, Jones, Holmes, Aspinwall. Substitutes: Massey, Thompson, Davies, Clark.

Referee: T Alibert (Toulouse).