St Helens 46 Leeds Rhinos 6: Red-faced Rhinos stunned by Saints triumph

Of course, that was not the case. The champions dyed their hair pinkish-red in support of Sport Relief and, despite the predictably outlandish comments of Sky pundit Mike Stephenson suggesting it was a sign of unprofessionalism on Leeds’s part, it could not be further from the truth.

Quite simply, ruthless Saints were too good to carry on in the doldrums and finally got everything right yesterday evening as they ended a five-game winless run that had cost Australian Royce Simmons his job a week ago.

In direct contrast, erring Rhinos endured one of those nights they will just want to forget, 24-0 down inside a shocking first quarter and utterly out-played as they slipped to only a second defeat of the year.

Coach Brian McDermott admitted: “Saints were great and they beat us right from the off.

“We were in freefall and found it hard to get back in.

“In a weird way, we kept some integrity as we didn’t give in but that doesn’t get us points.

“For Stevo to say we were completely unprofessional, though, for dying our hair, that is bang out of order.

“We did that so people would pledge money to a fantastic cause; rugby doesn’t matter to me one jot compared to that.”

With Mike Rush and Saints legend Keiron Cunningham put in temporary charge, the irreplaceable James Roby, Jonny Lomax and two-try Ade Gardner all returning to the side, and Langtree Park duly rocking in an air of hope rather than expectancy, St Helens rallied in rousing style last night.

However, Leeds know more than anyone that titles are not won in March and there will be no alarm bells ringing at Headingley Carnegie this morning.

Fans were able to shrug off this debacle and remind their joyous counterparts “We only win when it matters”, due reference to the four times they have triumphed over Saints in Grand Finals during the last five years.

Indeed, the Rhinos were similarly hammered 42-16 at Knowsley Road last June before recovering to make their regular trip to Manchester.

That is not discounting for how poor they were last night, though, particularly in that shambolic opening when Saints’ oft-maligned Australian props Josh Perry and Anthony Laffranchi punched countless holes in their shaky defence.

Meanwhile, you are more likely to see a dozen pink-haired rugby players than witness Ryan Hall out-jumped on his own line.

However, that was the rare fate that befell the world’s greatest winger when Gardner leapt above the England star to take Roby’s crossfield kick and set the ball rolling inside three minutes.

In the next set, Lee Smith was then gang-tackled by three Saints players to be pushed back behind his own line, a sign of the lack of urgency which spread throughout the subdued West Yorkshire side.

From the resulting drop-out, Lomax side-stepped over from close range and there was more weak defence exposed when Roby shrugged off a feeble Paul McShane effort in the middle, putting Wilkin in motion before Gary Wheeler finished.

More of the same followed as Tony Puletua penetrated in truly alarming style as the lacklustre Rhinos were shredded once more, Paul Wellens this time adding the link for Lomax to slide over for his second.

Jamie Peacock tried to rouse his side into action by shooting out of the defensive line to deliver some much-needed venom but Paul Clough easily wrong-footed the England captain and Leeds – missing the suspended Ryan Bailey’s customary steel – were fortunate not to concede more.

They were also disorganised in attack, Brent Webb having pulled out ill and Rob Burrow’s enforced switch to scrum-half due to injured Danny McGuire’s absence meaning they missed the little dynamo’s more thoughtful decision-making around the ruck.

Eighteen-year-old schoolboy half-back Stevie Ward showed some bright touches on debut but there were few other areas of encouragement.

Leeds invited Saints in again just three minutes into the second period.

Smith tried letting another kick go dead only to be caught behind his own line and, just as in the first half, their predatory opponents struck, the ageless Wellens leaving Kallum Watkins flat-footed.

Zak Hardaker did score when Hall made a robust charge through the middle, albeit from a glaring McShane forward pass in the build-up, and Sinfield converted.

But when the captain’s attempted short drop-out back-fired, Lance Hohaia found their old weaknesses once more, stepping through Carl Ablett’s poor attempt to score before Gardner and Wheeler both completed their braces.

St Helens: Wellens; Gardner, Shenton, Wheeler, Meli; Hohaia, Lomax; Laffranchi, Roby, Perry, Flannery, Wilkin, Puletua. Substitutes: McCarthy Scarsbrook, Flanagan, Clough, Magennis.

Leeds: Smith; Jones-Bishop, Watkins, Hardaker, Hall; Sinfield, Burrow; Leuluai, McShane, Peacock, Clarkson, Delaney, Ablett. Substitutes: Griffin, Moore, Ward, Kirke.

Referee: P Bentham (Warrington).