Watch as Leeds Rhinos star Luke Gale explains why his current success means so much

Gale scored two tries and created another with an audacious pass that had created audible gasps from the Headingley crowd.

He also went past 1,500 competition points in his 300th career game and has helped underpin the club’s resurgence this season following his big move from Castleford Tigers.

It marked the end of a good week which also saw him named in Shaun Wane’s first England squad while other half-backs such as Gareth Widdop, Jackson Hastings, Blake Austin and Jake Trueman missed out.

Yet many people wondered if Gale would be able to reproduce such classy form, though, given he missed all of last season with a ruptured Achilles and much of 2018 due to a fractured kneecap.

“Those tough days that I’ve had - the tough days in the gym, the hard work I've put in - it’s on those tough days that you kind of think of days like this,” said the 31-year-old, who captained the side in the continued absence of Stevie Ward.

“It just makes it all worthwhile.

“Look, I had no doubt that I’d come back. I’m at a new club, the boys have been great and I think we’re going to keep improving as well.

“You’ve seen the relationship with (stand-off) Rob Lui. What a guy.

“He played really well tonight as well and that’s only going to get better.

“The more time we play together, the better we’ll get.

“With a couple of milestones and a great team performance I’ll go home a happy man tonight.”

Gale has not played on the international stage since starting the 2017 World Cup final under Wayne Bennett.

However, Wane - who has invited 31 ‘prospective Ashes candidates’ to a players gathering at Old Trafford later this month - clearly feels he could potentially resume that Test career against Australia at the end of the season.

“I’m really proud,” said Gale, who faces initial competition from the likes of Jonny Lomax and George Williams.

“Every time your name gets brought up in the England shake-up, you’re proud.

“I’ve still got to improve and I’m happy that I’m in his thoughts.

If you take care of your own performance week in week out hopefully that comes as a bonus at the end of the year.

“I’m happy with the way it’s going and with the team as well."

Rhinos won a fourth straight game for the first time since 2015 and followed on from their stunning 36-0 home victory over Warrington Wolves.

Leeds-born Gale conceded: “It was a really dominant performance.

“I’m really proud. I challenged the boys before - and Rich (Agar) did as well - to back up last week’s performance and we did that.

“Toronto are quite difficult to defend. They move the ball about, have some strong lads with people like Ricky Leutele who I think has the most clean breaks in the comp’ so we defended well and kept them to 12 points.

“I couldn't have asked for much more from the boys and it was a real rounded performance.

“But we’re not getting carried away. We’ve got three tough games coming up - Catalans, Saints and Cas - and that will show where we really are.”