The West Yorkshire Derby saw the Rhinos make the short journey down the road to the Mend-a-Hose Jungle to take on a Castleford Tigers side who were unbeaten in their last three at home.

The Rhinos were looking to consolidate their top spot but would have to do it without the help of Sinfield, Leuluai, Briscoe and Jones-Buchanan, giving the opportunity for the youngsters to shine on a wet and muddy Castleford lunchtime.

The 'House Full' notices were out ahead of kick-off and the doors closed despite queues outside the ground. The scene was set for a battle royal.

Leeds got off to the worst of starts when Ryan Hall was sent to the sin-bin for a professional foul on Luke Hale with just four minutes on the clock but the Rhinos weathered the storm and took the game to the home side.

On twelve Holmes dislodged the ball from Sutcliffes grasp as he was in the act of scoring but two minutes later and Halls return to the field signalled a try as McGuire was the architect in a move which saw Moon through a gap to go twenty to score.

On twenty it was 10-0 as a fast Rhinos break downfield saw McGuire close before a fast play allowed Moon, Cuthbertson and Hall to combine to send the winger over in the corner. Sutcliffe converted from the touch line to add the extras.

Castleford got themselves back into the game on twenty-six when a Finn grubber was grounded by Shenton and Gale added the extras but with a few minutes to go to the break the Rhinos broke the Tigers defence again when a Sutcliffe grubber was grounded one-handed by ward. The Sutcliffe conversion made it 16-6 at the break.

There was a twenty-two minute hiatus in the second half scoring as conditions deteriorated and mistakes crept into both sides games. When the points came it was Leeds who added to their score when the ball was moved left and a McGuire miss-out pass to Moon allowed him to put Hall over in the corner. Sutcliffe missed the conversion but he was successful four minutes later when Cuthbertson backed over the line off a Burrow pass to score one handed.

Shenton grabbed a consolation, after a neat interplay with Carney, but with only four minutes left on the clock the game had already gone the way of the Rhinos.

In a second half of squandered chances from both sides it was the Rhinos who ran down the clock to a comfortable 26-12 win and send their contingent of the bumper crowd home with smiles on their faces.

A real grind of a game, and the Rhinos ground the hardest.

Tigers: Dorn, Clare, Gibson, Shenton, Carney, Finn, Gale, Lynch, Moore, Millington, Holmes, Webster, Massey. Subs: Milner, Cook, Boyle, Wheeldon.
Rhinos: Hardaker, Handley, Watkins, Moon, Hall, Sutcliffe, McGuire, Singleton, Aiton, Peacock, Ward, Ablett, Cuthbertson. Subs: Burrow, Yates, Delaney, Achurch.

Referee: Ben Thaler
Attendance: 9,676