4 score 9/10 in Peter Smith's Leeds Rhinos player ratings from 46-4 win v Catalans Dragons

After the 56-22 win at Huddersfield Giants seven days earlier, that is 102 points scored in two games by Rhinos. Some defensive lapses let them down seven days earlier, but they were eight minutes away from keeping a clean sheet this time in a game they dominated from the moment the kick-off was dropped by Catalans.

Leeds led 16-0 at the break and it could easily have been at least 30. The defence Catalans had to do under constant pressure took its toll in the second period when Rhinos added five tries, including three in succession during a blistering spell when substitute prop Cooper Jenkins ran riot.

Having conceded before they had possession last week, Rhinos did the same to Catalans. Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet dropped Lachie Miller’s kick-off and in the set from the scrum the full-back’s nice pass sent Ash Handley through a gap for a try which Jake Connor converted.

After 10 minutes Jack Bird seemed to have knocked-on, but Rhinos challenged the decision. Replays showed the Leeds centre had taken a shoulder to the head from Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui. According to the big screen, the challenge was inconclusive, but Leeds received a penalty, overturning the knock-on.

It felt like Rhinos needed a second try from all their early pressure and it came on 18 minutes. Brodie Croft’s high kick on the last was knocked back by Handley to Miller and his quick pass gave Sivo acres of space to go over.

Connor added the extras and six minutes later, following a penalty and set-restart, Ryan Hall got in the act on the other flank, going over for his second try in successive games from a brilliant long pass by Connor.

Three minutes before the interval Sivo seemed to have scored his second of the game, from a break and pass by Chris Hankinson. Referee Liam Moore awarded it, but on review video official Chris Kendall decided the second-rower’s elbow had been grounded before he got the ball away.

Sivo could have had four tries in the first 40; twice passes - from Hankinson and then Handley - went behind him just short of the line. The one he got was his ninth try in four games at AMT Headingley and 14th from eight Super League appearances.

With the final kick of the half Connor missed with a long, if straight, penalty attempt after a high tackle on Croft. At 16-0 the visitors were still just about in the contest, but Leeds made sure of the points with three tries between the 50th and 56th minutes.

A captain’s challenge overturned a Dragons penalty near Leeds’ line and following a strong run by Tom Holroyd, Danny Levi ducked through from acting-half. The restart went out on the full - being caught by Hall with a foot over the whitewash - and Jenkins stormed over to finish superbly from Connor’s pass. In the next set the same player stormed into a gap, drew the full-back and put Croft in for his 11th try of the campaign. Connor improved all three to make it 34-0.

Leeds kept their foot down and added a couple more tries in the last 14 minutes, through Hall from Miller’s pass and James McDonnell who nipped over from acting half in the final moments. Connor finished the game with seven goals from nine attempts.

The only blot for Leeds was Leo Darrelatour’s long-range try, splitting Leeds’ last two, off a break by Soilomona Faatape. That denied them a clean sheet, though Aispuro-Bichet’s kick bounced away off a post. Credit to Keenan Palasia for chasing back to prevent the try scorer narrowing the angle for the kick.

In front of a 14,607 crowd, the penalty count was eight-five in Leeds’ favour and they received all five of the game’s set-restarts.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Sivo, Handley, Bird, Hall, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, Levi, Palasia, Hankinson, McDonnell, Watkins. Subs C Smith, O’Connor, Jenkins, Holroyd.

Catalans Dragons: Staines, Darrelatour, Faataape, Aispuro-Bichet, Makinson, Sexton, Dodd, Fa’asuamaleaui, Leeming, Navarrete, Garcia, Lipowicz, Bousquet. Subs Satae, Condon, Wilson, Allen.

Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan). Attendance: 14,607.