Rhinos romp to title

Two tries in as many minutes from Ali Lauitiiti and Scott Donald saw the Rhinos take charge of the Old Trafford showpiece early in the second half.

Leeds had already been ahead after a Brent Webb try, and Lee Smith and Jamie Jones-Buchanan added further scores to deny Saints a second successive domestic trophy clean sweep.

Leeds, who finished a point behind their opponents at the end of the regular season, led throughout a compelling final, running in five tries to one to deny Saints a second consecutive clean sweep.

Leeds scrum-half Rob Burrow, one of the "little men" identified as a threat by Saints coach Daniel Anderson, came up with a man-of-the-match display but the Rhinos were also indebted to the barnstorming runs of forwards Jamie Peacock and Gareth Ellis which laid a solid platform for the emphatic win.

Leeds skipper Kevin Sinfield put his side in front when Saints were caught offside on 15 minutes. That gave the Rhinos the encouragement to put together a wonderfully intricate passing move with Danny McGuire and Sinfield working the ball out to full-back Brent Webb, who took an inside pass from winger Scott Donald to claim his 24th try of his inaugural Super League season.

Sinfield's conversion made it 8-0 but the introduction of newly-crowned Man of Steel James Roby, not for the first time this year, put a new complexion on the match. He crashed over for a score reminiscent of his crucial try in Saints' Challenge Cup win at Wembley.

But the game was swiftly taken away from St Helens as Rhinos took a firm grip with two tries in a three-minute spell early in the second half. Lauitiiti tore through the Saints defence with a powerful angled run to the corner and then quick hands from Webb and Keith Senior released Donald, who beat Paul Wellens on the outside to finished off a classic 60-metre move.

Sinfield's third goal made it 18-6 and Burrow put more daylight between the sides with a 57th-minute drop goal. St Helens had to force the game and came up with yet more errors and they were ruthlessly punished as Leeds turned what had been an even contest into something of a rout.

Smith outjumped Francis Meli to collect McGuire's towering kick and touch down and Jones-Buchanan forced his way past a tiring defence in the last minute to score his fifth try of the season. Sinfield then took his goal tally to six from seven attempts to claim a memorable win.