Rampant Leeds extended their unbeaten league run to 16 matches as they routed sorry Widnes in the most one-sided match of the Engage Super League season.

A relatively close first half, which ended 18-8, turned into an embarrassing rout as the Rhinos kept up their superb start to the season with an 12-try salvo at snowy Headingley.

Winger Mark Calderwood led the charge with with four tries, while Rob Burrows and recent acquisition Gareth Ellis added two scores apiece.

Ali Lauitiiti, Marcus Bai, Barrie McDermott and Willie Poching also went over as the Rhinos refused to relent against an abysmal Vikings backline that had done so well to see off Bradford last week. The Vikings shocked Leeds early on by posting a superb try in the fourth minute when Aaron Moule fired a pass over his head to Andrew Emelio, who darted past the covering Richard Mathers to score.

It did not take long for the hosts to recover.

Calderwood scored a brace of tries in a five-minute spell as Leeds got into the groove.

His first came in the 10th minute when he received a Chev Walker pass from a standing start but had enough power to escape the clutches of opposite wing Stephen Rowlands to dive over in the corner.

Calderwood repeated the dose when he squeezed over from dummy-half after Walker had again caused disarray with a rampaging run.

Frank Endacott's men closed the gap with a Rowlands penalty but the respite was brief.

On the half hour, Lauitiiti was left to finish off near the posts after Andrew Dunemann and pint-sized playmaker Burrows had laid the foundations to a flowing move.

Loose forward Ellis then rampaged over under the sticks for his first try since moving from Wakefield in the close season after Lauitiiti had caused further havoc in the Vikings line.

Another Rowlands penalty with the last kick of the half reduced the arrears but the second period proved a mismatch.

Bai flew over one minute after the restart after receiving a tremendous offload from replacement Poching.

Four minutes later, Ellis cruised through some non-existent tackling to go over underneath the posts to further endear himself to his new fans with his second touchdown of the game.

Widnes were visibly wilting and a cricket score was on the horizons.

The Vikings were the architects of the home side's next try, which was gratefully received by veteran McDermott in the 48th minute. Sinfield's puncturing low kick reared up off the boot of Emelio and the second-row forward, celebrating his testimonial at Leeds this year, collected and stumbled over.

Burrow, covering at scrum half for the injured Danny McGuire, then cruised over four minutes later as the Vikings fell apart.

Calderwood completed his hat-trick after 56 minutes as he went over following a punishing power burst by Lauitiiti.

The 23-year-old England international added his fourth try on the hour - and brought up the half-century - with the best try of the match.

It had its origins on his own try-line when he breezed through a vacant gap and embarrassed last man Gary Connolly to gallop over.

The Rhinos were scoring with every possession, Burrows grabbing his second try to make it 60-8 and Poching completed the rout with three minutes left.