POSSIBLY the worst performance in living memory resulted in Saints suffering their heaviest defeat for 95 years.

There was absolutely nothing in the way of positives to salvage from this game, which saw Saints nilled for the first time since 1995.

In fact from a Saints perspective the only admirable qualities displayed at Headingley on Friday night came from the travelling spectators who stayed until the bitter end despite the hosts running up a cricket score.

Ten out of ten for their loyalty and wit, particularly the fan who remarked: "We'll need snookers from here!" as the score nudged past 50.

It was always going to be one of those games as soon as Paul Wellens' kick off landed a foot over the dead ball line.

It was punished mercilessly and the game was up after barely eight minutes with three quickfire tries from Rhinos, who had spotted a soft spot on Saints' right hand side.

There were a couple of forward passes in the build up to two of those opening tries, but sadly that seems part and parcel of the game nowadays.

That should not excuse the flimsy attempts at tackling which yielded tries from Marcus Bai and the first two of Danny McGuire's hat-trick.

The Rhinos' tails were up as they soon realised that Saints were vulnerable, possibly suffering from PGSD (Post-Gleeson Stress Disorder).

Leeds did not have to do anything special, basic handling and passing opened up Saints' defence at will.

And there were plenty of willing runners, particularly the speedy 21-year-old half back McGuire, who went in for his hat-trick after only 13 minutes.

Again Saints' failure to keep hold of the ball was their downfall - and they were unable to build any sort of pressure or get any decent field position.

Wellens and stand-in skipper Keiron Cunningham did go close, but were stopped just short. They were the only times Saints looked like scoring.

By half time it was 38-0 with scores from Bai and Wayne McDonald. The 6'6" former Saint McDonald grabbed his second four minutes after the restart.

Matt Diskin, Richie Mathers, Bai, Ali Lauititi and Keith Senior completed the 12-try rout.

Leeds: Mathers; Cummins, Walker, Senior, Bai; Sinfield, McGuire; Ward, Diskin, Bailey, McKenna, Lauititi, Poching. Subs: Burrow, McDonald, Adamson, McDermott

Saints: Wellens; Gardner, Talau, Albert, Feaunati; Hooper, Wilkin; Fozzard, Cunningham, Mason, Edmondson, Fa'asavalu, Gilmour. Subs: Roby, Bibey, Hardman, Bennett

Ref: K. Kirkpatrick

Att: 16, 635