The suspicion that Leeds Rhinos are on their way towards creating a dynasty of success was strengthened considerably last night as the engage Super League champions completed an impressive and ominous victory.

A makeshift team, featuring four youngsters who were mere observers last season when the Rhinos swept to the title, made light of their inexperience and unfamiliarity to sweep aside a full-strength Hull Kingston Rovers.

Three tries in an eight-minute spell spanning the interval, two of them scored by Rob Burrow, the Great Britain scrum half, dashed Rovers' hopes in front of a crowd of 9,391, a record for Craven Park.

Hull KR laid siege to the Leeds line throughout much of the opening half but reached the interval trailing 12-10 by virtue of a potent combination of their own failure to make the most of the many scoring opportunities they created and the Rhinos' uncanny ability to turn what few chances they had into points.

Although Rovers repeatedly forced the visitors to drop out from between their own posts, invariably through the intelligent kicking of Paul Cooke and Scott Murrell, they were restricted to a solitary try, with David Mills, the prop, opening the scoring with a thundering run to the posts.

Leeds quickly levelled with a try by Brent Webb, the New Zealand full back who skipped through to the line after Mills had conceded a needless penalty for obstruction deep inside his own half.

Two penalties by Cooke edged the home side into a 10-6 lead, only for Leeds to strike a telling blow on the stroke of half-time when Rob Burrow, the Great Britain scrum half, dummied his way through to score with an elusive run following a handling error by Peter Fox, the Hull KR wing.

Tries by Kylie Leuluai and Burrow after the resumption took Leeds clear and although Rovers rallied with tries of their own through Scott Murrell and Peter Fox, the Rhinos raced to a comfortable victory with further scores from Keith Senior and Matt Diskin to open up a six-point cushion at the top of the table.

Hull Kingston Rovers: S Briscoe; P Fox, B Cockayne, Jake Webster, D Fitzhenry; P Cooke, James Webster; M Vella, B Fisher, D Mills, C Newton, S Gene, B Galea. Interchange: R Lovegrove, K Netherton, G Crossman, S Murrell.

Leeds Rhinos: B Webb; L Smith, C Ablett, K Senior, S Donald; D McGuire, R Burrow; K Leuluai, B Kaye, N Scruton, K Sinfield, S Worrall, M Diskin. Interchange: K Watkins, L Burgess, J Peacock, J Tansey.

Referee: R Silverwood (Mirfield).