A-Z of Leeds Rhinos - 'N' is for...Nil

Rhinos celebrate during this season's whitewash of Warrington Wolves at Emerald Headingley. Picture by Bruce Rollinson

In the final round of the 1998 regular season, with second place in the table assured, coach Graham Murray rested some key players for the visit to Halifax and Rhinos were crushed 42-0 at the Shay.

Murray’s tactic paid off, though, as Leeds beat the same opposition 13-6 in the play-offs the following week.

In July, 2017 Brian McDermott fielded a below-strength side at Wigan Warriors and Leeds were beaten 34-0.

Ali Lauitiiti's five try haul for Rhinos at Wakefield in 2005 was a Super League record for a forward. Picture by Steve Riding.

McDermott was saving players for a Challenge Cup semi-final eight days later, but the plan backfired when Rhinos were crushed 43-24 by Hull.

Rhinos have nilled their opposition 18 times in Super League.

It took them into the ninth summer season to keep their first clean sheet, 46-0 at Widnes.

They repeated the feat two weeks later with a 46-0 drubbing of Salford and beat visitors St Helens 70-0 later the same year.

Muizz Mustapha was born in Ofa, Nigeria. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.

The other occasions are: 2005 - 70-0 v Wigan Warriors, 74-0 at Leigh Centurions; 2006 - 60-0 at Harlequins, 30-0 at Bradford Bulls; 2008 - 48-0 v Harlequins; 2009 - 68-0 at Crusaders; 2011 - 20-0 v Hull, 56-0 v Castleford Tigers; 2016 - 8-0 v Salford; 2017 - 40-0 v Warrington; 2018 - 20-0 v Salford, 34-0 v Widnes Vikings; 2019 - 10-0 at Wakefield Trinity, 44-0 at Huddersfield Giants; 2020 - 36-0 v Warrington.

‘N’ is also for...Nap.

Eric Harris and Stan Smith both scored five tries when Leeds beat Featherstone Rovers 51-12 in 1934, the only occasion in the club’s history when two players have gone nap.

Harris, who played for Leeds from 1930-39 scored five or more tries in a game on six occasions, a record matched only by Scottish winger Drew Turnbull (1948-56).

In the winter era, from 1895-1996, a Leeds player scored five or more tries in a game on 20 occasions.

In addition, two guest players - Alfred Croston of Castleford and Alec Dockar of Hull - managed a five-try haul during the Second World War.

The last time it was achieved in the winter era was on August 30, 1958, when Del Hodgkinson touched down six times in a Yorkshire Cup tie against Huddersfield.

No new names were added to the list until Danny McGuire’s five tries - Leeds’ Super League record - against Widnes in 2004.

The first Leeds player to do it was W Evans in a 30-0 home win over Stockport on February 29, 1903.

Leeds’ Super League record for tries in a match is five, achieved by McGuire (twice), Ali Lauitiiti - as a substitute - and Ryan Hall.

‘N’ is also for...Nigeria.

Muizz Mustapha became the first Nigerian-born player to appear for Leeds when he made his debut against Workington Town in 2019 Challenge Cup.