Super League new boys Celtic Crusaders survived an early baptism of fire on a freezing night in Leeds and emerged from the tussle with the champions with considerable credit.

The Welsh club resembled startled rabbits caught in the headlights in the first half as Leeds ran in four tries in a 24-minute spell and threatened to run riot.

But, once their nerves settled, the Crusaders looked a workmanlike outfit and caused the champions enough problems to suggest they can defy the bookmakers' odds which make them firm favourites for the wooden spoon.

In a lively opener played in difficult conditions in front of an impressive 14,827 crowd, England captain Jamie Peacock was sin-binned 10 minutes from the end along with Crusaders forward Adam Peek after both men came to blows at a scrum.

The Rhinos were without seven players, including four internationals, and included three teenagers in their line-up but it mattered little as they picked up from where they left off at Old Trafford in October.

Debutant hooker Paul McShane and 17-year-old centre Kallum Watkins both played key roles as Leeds established a stranglehold on the match.

The Crusaders, who gave debuts to Matty Smith, Ryan O'Hara, Mark Bryant, Peek and Peter Lupton, looked a disjointed lot and rarely threatened the Rhinos tryline before half-time.

Full-back Lee Smith, man of the match in the Grand Final, had the distinction of scoring the first try of Super League XIV, finishing off a nice break by evergreen centre Keith Senior after nine minutes.

Despite the wintry conditions, Leeds' handling was of the highest order and young Watkins demonstrated sublime skill to draw two defenders and get winger Scott Donald over for a second try.

The Welsh side hardly saw the ball in the opening quarter and when they did they looked easily rattled and gifted possession to their opponents all too easily.

Their feeble opening efforts were summed up on 20 minutes when full-back Tony Duggan's pass was intercepted by winger Ryan Hall, who was left with a straightforward 30-metre gallop for the champions' third try.

Second-rower Darren Mapp did manage to cross the Leeds line on 32 minutes but his try was disallowed by video referee Richard Silverwood for an obstruction by team-mate Jordan James.

And Leeds made the visitors pay, responding immediately with a second try by Smith, who was on hand to take McShane's final pass after Hall had refused to die with the ball.

Rhinos captain Kevin Sinfield, playing his first match since the group games of the World Cup in November, kicked three out of four conversions as Leeds led 22-0 at the break.

The Crusaders fared much better in the second half, though, and Duggan went close to scoring what would have been his 99th try for the club.

They also achieved the rare feat of winning a scrum against the head, which gave centre Mark Dalle Cort the space to move his side upfield.

They eventually got on the scoreboard 14 minutes into the second half when former Castleford winger Luke Dyer raced onto a perfectly-judged kick from skipper Jace van Dijk and finished decisively for the Crusaders' first-ever Super League try.

Josh Hannay added the conversion to cut the deficit to 16 points and the visitors went on to enjoy the better of the final quarter, although without ever seriously threatening the champions' superiority.

Leeds thought they had scored again when Senior crossed six minutes from the end but the try was disallowed for obstruction but the champions had the final say in injury time when loose forward Carl Ablett plunged over from close range.