Vainikolo in Robinson country

Bradford Bulls made an explosive start to the defence of their Super League title after an early eruption of the "Volcano" on Friday night. Lesley Vainikolo got the new campaign off to a spectacular start with a Super League record-equalling five tries to help the Bulls to a comprehensive 34-6 win over Wigan in a one-sided repeat of October's Grand Final.

Coming just a week after their success in the World Club Challenge, this latest triumph sends out an early warning to their rivals that Bradford remain the standard bearers of élite British rugby league. And, with six tries already, Vainikolo is clearly the player to watch - he now has 45 tries in only 56 appearances for the club.

He claimed his hat-trick within an hour, brought the 17,267 crowd to their feet with a glorious length-of-the-field effort for his fourth and then, with a minute remaining, became the first Super League player for four years to register five in a match.

Jason Robinson is one of five others to have achieved the feat and the Bradford coach, Brian Noble, believes the Tongan-born New Zea-land international is right up there with the union World Cup winner. "On his day, he is the best winger in world rugby, and that's not an overstatement," said Noble.

Full-back Michael Withers scored the Bulls' opening try, taking his remarkable tally to 91 in 114 matches, and rookie hooker Aaron Smith scored his first as the champions turned on the power after an uncertain start. For much of the first half they looked to be suffering a hangover from their triumph over Penrith Panthers, and it was only while Wigan were down to 12 men, with scrum-half Luke Robinson in the sin-bin, that they scored their first try.

The crucial breakthrough came before half-time when Vainikolo pounced on a fumble by Brian Carney to open his account, and Wigan simply had no answer as the home side stepped up a gear. The one disappointment for Bradford was the loss of Shontayne Hape with a broken arm which will keep him out for up to two months.

Bradford's next test will come in the fourth round of the Powergen Challenge Cup next Sunday, when they enter-tain St Helens, who also made an impressive start to the season with a 30-16 win over Hull in front of 12,532 at Knowsley Road.

New signing Nick Fozzard touched down twice as Saints raced out of the blocks with four first-half tries and, although the visitors rallied after the break with the help of two tries from Colin Best, Samoan Dom Feaunati put the result beyond doubt with a debut try late on.

Hull's former St Helens coach Shaun McRae was far from downhearted by his side's emphatic defeat, arguing that no team could have lived with Saints in the first half. "It doesn't matter who they were playing, no one would be able to do anything about a start like that," he said.

"If they play like that, some sides could come here and have 50-60 points put on them."