Rhinos inflict heavy cup defeat on Hull

Leeds justified their Carnegie Challenge Cup favouritism with a dazzling display to sweep aside Hull 48-24 in a free-flowing fourth-round game in front of a 15,109 crowd at a sun-kissed KC Stadium.

England winger Ryan Hall ran in half his side's eight tries as the Rhinos condemned Hull to a first-hurdle home defeat for the second successive season, and sent out an ominous warning to their Super League rivals that they mean business in the cup this year.

It is 11 years since Leeds triumphed in the last final at the old Wembley but, on this form, they look a good bet to end their drought come August.

Not even the surprise sin-binning of scrum-half Rob Burrow, who had the audacity to square up to man mountain Epalahame Lauaki, could detract from an impressive victory, which goes some way to making up for their defeat by Hull in the 2005 final and help erase the memory of last year's opening-round defeat by St Helens.

The champions, strangely out of touch in the first two months of the season, were boosted by the surprise return of England skipper Jamie Peacock from a four-match lay-off with a foot injury but, just as importantly, they looked more like their old selves with the sun on their backs on a lush turf, a sharp contrast to the mud-caked surface they have had to contend with at Headingley.

Hull, beaten 46-30 at Headingley six days earlier, were strengthened by the return of Richard Horne, Craig Fitzgibbon and Danny Tickle and they looked lively in the opening stages, twice taking the lead before Leeds began to hit their straps.

Carl Ablett, Brent Webb (two) and Ian Kirke also touched down for Leeds, while Tom Briscoe, Jordan Tansey, Richard Whiting (two) and Jordan Turner were the tryscorers for Hull.

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