Betfred Super League

York (0) 16

Tries: Wood, Bennison, Nofoaluma Goals: Bennison (2)

Leeds (36) 66

Tries: Lumb 3, Hankinson 2, Watkins, Oledzki, Miller, Lodge, Hall, Croft, Handley Goals: Connor 4, Hankinson 4, Miller

Leeds Rhinos returned to the top of the Super League table, scoring 12 tries including a hat-trick for Riley Lumb, to demolish the York Knights 66-16 at AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium.

In a scintillating attacking display, Lumb’s early double was followed up with scores for Chris Hankinson, Kallum Watkins, Mikolaj Oledzki and Lachie Miller before the break.

Second-half tries for York trios Sam Wood, Jon Bennison and David Nofoaluma ensured the match was not a complete whitewash, but further scores for debutant Matthew Lodge, Ryan Hall, Lumb, Brodie Croft, Ash Handley and Hankinson added further sparkle to an exceptional away performance for the Rhinos.

The result leaves Leeds in first, ahead of Wigan Warriors on points difference, while York remain in 12th.

Looking for a response after last week’s shock loss at home to Leigh, the Rhinos came charging out of the blocks and never looked back.

Lumb got the scoring under way with a quickfire double, benefiting first from Hall’s interception and counter-attack to dot down before beating Bennison to the ball to add a second.

The winger was then in the thick of the action for the Rhinos’ third try. Handley found Lumb on the wing, who only had to time his pass to Hankinson who went over untouched for the visitors’ third.

Watkins then added a quickfire fourth, seizing the loose ball after Miller’s kick bamboozled the York defence, before Oledzki fought his way through three York defenders to add another.

With York completely unable to deal with the speed of Leeds’ attacking ball, Cameron Smith sidestepped his way round Knights’ tacklers to feed Miller for the Rhinos’ sixth.

Wood thought he had finally put the Knights on the board, but the score was chalked off after Watkins was adjudged to have been obstructed from making a tackle in the build-up.

After the break, Lodge forced his way over from close range before Wood finally got the Knights some points, out-jumping Croft for the ball before dotting down.

Hall then scored his ninth try of the season after being fed by Miller, before Lumb dotted down for a deserved hat-trick.

Croft, Handley and Hankinson rubbed further salt into Knights’ wounds as the clock ticked down, with Bennison and Nofoaluma’s late scores nothing but scant consolation as York suffered a record defeat against their Yorkshire rivals.

York: Mata’afa; Bennison, Galeano, Wood, Nofoaluma; McShane, Hunter; Martin, Inman, Va’a, Dee (c), Field, Hingano.

Interchanges: Doyle, Thompson, Sangare, Balmforth, Foster.

Leeds: Miller; Hall, Newman, Handley (c), Lumb; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, O’Connor, Jenkins, Watkins, Hankinson, Cassell.

Interchanges: Smith, Lodge, Lloyd, Holroyd, McCormack.

Referee: Liam Moore.