Tykes are brushed aside by Newcastle

Leeds 24 Newcastle 41

Newcastle buried their Headingley hoodoo with a storming second-half performance to march into the semi-finals of the Powergen Cup, brushing aside a one-paced Leeds, who had neither the tactical variety nor the creativity to make enough chances, or to finish the few they had made.

With both semi-finals scheduled for a double-header at the Madejski Stadium on 9 March, Newcastle will demand a neutral venue if their name comes out of the hat with London Irish in tomorrow's draw. The Falcons' director of rugby, Rob Andrew, said: "As the Madejski is Irish's home ground, it would be unfair for any of the other sides to be asked to play them there."

Having seen his team lose at Headingley to Harlequins in the semi-final of last season's European Shield, and to Leinster in a rearranged Heineken Cup match 12 days earlier, Andrew was relieved to get this one out of the way. "Both sides were going to make mistakes in those conditions," said Andrew. "But we managed the game very well and finished better than Leeds."

With a strong wind blowing from end to end, accurate kicking and sure handling were vital. But it was the holders, with the low sun and wind at their backs, who gave the impression that they knew best how to play the conditions, and take advantage of their opponents' mistakes. And Leeds made them by the bucketful. Were it not for the capricious wind, Jonny Wilkinson would surely have made Leeds pay for their waywardness. The England outside-half missed with four penalty shots before the break, which was reached with Newcastle 22-11 ahead.

On what was their first convincing foray into enemy territory, Leeds broke open the Newcastle defence when Isaac Feaunati made the hard yards. Although the Samoan's pass to Dan Scarbrough looked suspiciously forward, the try stood and Leeds were in business. But they kept giving Wilkinson sight of goal and though Braam van Straaten kicked two penalties, Wilkinson hit five and converted Stuart Grimes' try.

Newcastle took Leeds' early pressure in the second half head on and when Epeli Taione made upfield, Dave Walder took it on for 50 metres before popping an overhead pass inside for Va'aiga Tuigamala to crash through for a sumptuous try. Taione added one, Tuigamala a second, and though Jamie Meyer pulled a try back, Leeds were a broken side.

Newcastle: Tries Grimes, Tuigamala 2, Taione; Conversions Wilkinson 3; Penalties Wilkinson 5. Leeds: Tries Scarbrough, Mayer; Conversion Van Straaten; Penalties Van Straaten 4.

Leeds: J Benson; D Scarbrough, J Mayer, B van Straaten, C Emmerson; S Bachop, S Benton (J O'Reilly, 70); J Wring, M Luffman, K Fullman (G Kerr, 55), E Jones (C Murphy, 55), T Palmer, C Hogg (capt), D Hyde (A Popham, 31), I Feaunati.

Newcastle: D Walder; G Maclure (V Tuigamala, 52), J Noon, T May (Tuigamala 31-43), M Stephenson; J Wilkinson (capt), H Charlton (G Armstrong, 52); M Ward (I Peel, 70), C Balshen, M Hurter, H Vyvyan, S Grimes, E Taione, R Arnold (P Lam, 52), J Dunbar.

Referee: S Leyshon (Bristol).