A young, inexperienced Rhinos side ran in seven tries – six of them in the second half – to win last night's Millennium Magic encounter 40-26, after trailing 10-6 at the break.

Seventeen-year-old centre Kallum Watkins impressed for Rhinos on his first Super League start, scoring their first try and creating another.
French Test back-rower Eric Anselme – signed on loan from Albi this week – had a strong debut, Brent Webb had a fine game and Danny McGuire also enjoyed some good moments.

Andy Lynch had a big match up front for Bradford, Glenn Morrison grafted solidly and Shontayne Hape posed an attacking threat.

Rhinos were without eight members of their senior squad through injury – including past or present Test stars Clinton Toopi, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Gareth Ellis, Ali Lauitiiti and Ryan Bailey – while Ben Jeffries joined Chris Feather and Joe Vagana on Bulls' casualty list.

Bulls drew first blood after just seven minutes, when Semi Tadulala
held off Ryan Hall and McGuire to score at the corner from David Solomona's long pass.

Rhinos had a first sight of Bulls' line on 10 minutes, but Watkins spilled McGuire's pass.

Watkins – rated by many at Headingley Carnegie as a future international – made amends three minutes later, following a scrum near the Bulls line.

Kevin Sinfield supplied Kylie Leuluai, who drove the ball in and offloaded to McGuire and the stand-off's pass gave Watkins a diagonal run to the corner, Sinfield adding the extras.

Leuluai was halted just short before Paul Sykes spilled Webb's grubber kick. Luke Burgess and Keith Senior went close following the scrum, then Paul Deacon was trapped in goal from Rob Burrow's kick.

On the final tackle from the drop out Sinfield's kick was well taken by Hall, but his offload went straight to Deacon.

At the other end, Hall collected Terry Newton's kick and made a half-break, but his offload – aimed at Webb – was picked up by Bulls, Rhinos were caught offside at marker and Deacon's penalty goal levelled the scores.
Rhinos ran a kickable penalty moments later and were almost rewarded, but Scott Donald was held up over the line after McGuire's pass rebounded off Watkins, then Webb's pass went through Hall's legs into touch.
Deacon landed his second goal to edge Bulls back in front after Rhinos were caught offside folowing a Jamie Peacock knock-on.

Shontayne Hape let Rhinos off the hook with a knock-on in good field position, then Simon Worrall did similar at the other end.

On the stroke of half-time referee Richard Silverwood decided McGuire had stolen the ball from Tame Tupou in a two-man tackle and Deacon landed the goal with the final kick of the half.

The decision enfuriated McGuire, who was heading unopposed for the Bradford line when he was pulled back.

Rhinos were back in front just 45 seconds into the second half, in spectacular style.

Matt Diskin and Burrow worked the ball to Webb, whose pass sent Watkins tearing away down the left flank. The youngster kept his nerve, turning the ball back inside to Webb, whose final pass was finished by French star Anselme.

Wayne Godwin almost pulled a try back for Bulls, following a Leuluia handling error, but on the counter-attack McGuire's sensational pass sent Worrall into clear space and he put the supporting Keith Senior over.

Sinfield converted both tries and Rhinos led 18-10 after 46 minutes.

They extended that six minutes later after a Tadulala knock-on near his own line. McGuire went close from Worrall's pass, then only a superb Sam Burgess tackle stopped Burrow from scoring.

But on the next play Webb's long pass found Donald and he plunged over at the corner for an unconverted try.

In the set from the re-start, Burrow fed Webb and his pass put Donald clear down the left touchline, the winger returning the ball for Webb to score and Sinfield to convert.

Rhinos could have wrapped the game up on 58 minutes, but McGuire dropped Anselme's pass a couple of metres out with the line begging.
A rare Bulls attack ended when Sam Burgess failed to take Deacon's pass in a good position.

Bulls, though, were back in the contest with 17 minutes left when Sam Burgess was tackled just short before Solomona kicked to the corner and Tadulala touched down, though Deacon's touchline conversion attempt his a post and bounced away.

Then Worrall knocked on, Bulls were given a penalty and Hape crashed over – video referee Phil Bentham awarding the try despite an apparent double movement.

Deacon's conversion attempt again hit a post, but this time bounced through to cut the gap to eight points.

Bulls had the wind in their sails, but they were deflated with 11 minutes left when Solomona aimed a pass at Tadulala, but Hall intercepted for an easy try, Sinfield's conversion giving Leeds a 34-20 lead.

Rhinos put the game beyond doubt with seven minutes later when Leuluai crashed over from Sinfield's pass, the skipper landing his fifth goal.

Bulls got some consolation on the final play of the game when Sam Burgess touched down a kick by Deacon, who converted after the hooter.

Bradford Bulls: Halley, Evans, Sykes, Hape, Tadulala, Harris, Deacon, Lynch, Newton, S Burgess, Solomona, Langley, Morrison. Subs Nero, Finnigan, Godwin, Tupou.

Leeds Rhinos: Webb, Hall, Watkins, Senior, Donald, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Scruton, Ablett, Peacock, Sinfield. Subs Tansey, L Burgess, Worrall, Anselme.

Referee: Richard Silverwood (Mirfield).