Monday 26th July 10

Leeds Rhinos and St Helens, Grand Finalists in each of the last three years, are ominously placed for another tilt at Old Trafford after strengthening their Engage Super League top-four challenge with contrasting away victories.

The Rhinos ran in 27 points in the last 27 minutes to beat lowly Salford City Reds 31-22 at The Willows and climb into the top four for the first time this year, while Saints hammered Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 50-6 to move to within two points of second-placed Warrington Wolves.

England winger Ryan Hall bagged a brace of tries for Leeds but coach Brian McClennan admitted his side were made to work for their victory.

“It was a terrific effort but we were a bit disjointed,” he said.

“We need to work together and get more harmony because we have some big games coming up.”

The champions take on leaders Wigan Warriors at Headingley Carnegie on Friday before turning their attentions to St Helens in the semi-finals of the Carnegie Challenge Cup.

Stand-off Leon Pryce, left out of England’s 37-man squad last week, provided a reminder of his class by masterminding Saints’ nine-try rout of Wakefield.

Mick Potter’s men were slow starters but ran in six second-half tries to warm up nicely for Saturday’s league showdown with Warrington.

“We’re trying to build some momentum and I think we’ve done that,” said Potter. “It was a good sign for us.”

Wakefield coach John Kear called for some soul-searching by his players after their latest “capitulation”, but Castleford Tigers’ 30-24 defeat against Crusaders RL in Neath kept their play-off hopes alive.

Crusaders scored two tries in the last 10 minutes through Tony Martin and Jarrod Sammut on their return to South Wales to maintain their own top-eight hopes.

A ninth win of the season means the Welsh club are just two points behind the eighth-placed Tigers with a game in hand, much to the delight of coach Brian Noble.

“We have got five games to go so our destiny is in our own hands,” he said. “We are still throwing punches, which is really pleasing.

Huddersfield Giants consolidated their play-off place with a 40-4 victory over Harlequins, who are just two points above bottom club Catalans Dragons after a 16th defeat of the season.

Huddersfield led only 8-4 at half-time but turned on the style in the second half, with winger Jermaine McGillvary completing the eight-try romp with his third brace in just four appearances.

“His game is improving all the time and I also thought he came up with a lot of good defensive decisions,” said Giants coach Nathan Brown.