Rhinos power to world club crown

Leeds: 39 (26) Tries: Walker, Calderwood, McGuire, Poching, Burrow, Mathers, Jones-Buchanan Goals: Sinfield 5 Drop Goals: Sinfield Canterbury: 32 (6) Tries: El-Masri 2, Patten, Lolesi 2, Grimaldi Goals: El-Masri 5 Attendance: 37, 028

Leeds survived a late fightback by the Canterbury Bulldogs to win the Carnegie World Club Challenge 39-32 on Friday.

Leeds powered into a 20-point lead at half-time, scoring five tries through Chev Walker, Mark Calderwood, Danny McGuire, Willie Poching and Rob Burrow.

Richie Mathers added a sixth and Jamie Jones-Buchanan made it seven.

But the Bulldogs set up a tense finish, scoring four quick-fire tries, before Leeds skipper Kevin Sinfield calmed the nerves with a 78th-minute drop goal.

The Bulldogs, who had beat the Sydney Roosters to win the Australian NRL title, seemed to struggle in the Elland Road conditions.

While Leeds, with just three changes to their Grand Final-winning line-up, looked slick in front of a packed home crowd.

Walker opened the scoring on five minutes when Gareth Ellis worked the ball out wide and the big centre took Danny McGuire's pass to cut inside Luke Patten and touch down.

The Rhinos' second try was a gift from the error-prone Patten, who failed to control Kevin Sinfield's long, raking kick.

We'd like to play the World Club Challenge over there Tony Smith Leeds coach Victorious Leeds offer challenge

Pacy winger Mark Calderwood took advantage and coolly tapped the ball ahead for an easy try.

Canterbury briefly threatened to stage a comeback when winger Hazen El Masri crossed the line on 19 minutes.

But Leeds upped the temp and McGuire produced a memorable dash to the corner for a sweet score.

The Super League champions poured forward for two more tries before half-time. Poching collected Calderwood's kick ahead before Burrow finished off a dazzling move by the Rhinos.

The ball whirled through nine pairs of hands, before Burrow took Marcus Bai's pass to touch down for the Rhinos' fifth try and Sinfield kicked his third goal.

McGuire delights the home crowd with his mazy run and touch down

After the break, Patten made amends for his miserable first half when he raced on to Brent Oliver's pass to score the Bulldogs' second try.

But Leeds wasted no time in extending their lead, taking full advantage of another two defensive blunders.

Mathers pounced for a try on 51 minutes after McGuire's kick eluded Patten and three minutes later second rower Jamie Jones-Buchanan touched down after El Masri tried to pass from an impossible position.

The tide turned in the remaining 25 minutes as the Australians fought back with four tries.

Kiwi Test centre Kamaal Lolesi touched down twice, El Masri grabbed his second and skipper Tony Grimaldi poured over.

But Sinfield's drop-goal put a deserved victory beyond doubt for Leeds, who became the fourth British winners of the competition since it was re-introduced in 2000.

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Leeds: Mathers, Calderwood, Walker, Senior, Bai, Sinfield, McGuire, Bailey, Dunemann, Ward, Jones-Buchanan, McKenna, Ellis. Replacements: Burrow, Lauitiiti, McDermott, Poching.

Canterbury: Patten, El-Masri, Lolesi, Tonga, Cutler, Anasta, Hughes, C. Armit, Perry, Asotasi, Maitua, Bill Williams, Grimaldi. Replacements: Oliver, Czislowski, Myles, Brideson.

Referee: Sean Hampstead (Australia)