Rhinos are ready to rumble

The return of three key players makes Leeds Rhinos favourites to win their opening game in the Super League play-offs tonight. The defending champions, who are at home to Hull KR, welcome back captain Kevin Sinfield, who was rested against Salford last weekend. Also returning are the influential centre Keith Senior and bruising forward Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who were both suspended in that 30-24 win over the Reds.

"We're all anxious and excited. It's the business part of the season and we're really looking forward to it," said the Rhinos coach Brian McClennan. "Hull have been playing really well and have had a good season. They keep getting better and better so we know we're in for a tough game. "We've had two real tough games against them this year but that doesn't really count for much. "This is a different ball game and we didn't really think we played that well against them."

The Rhinos won their two regular season games with Hull, 19-10 in February and 24-14 in July. Meanwhile, the former Leeds player Scott Murrell will return to the Hull line-up after recovering from a broken hand. In Australia, the Parramatta Eels and Gold Coast Titans go head-to-head in Sydney in the NRL play-offs. The Titans beat the Eels 18-12 in the regular season and have never lost to them. That is why, despite coming of back-to-back losses, they go into the match on a high.

"Three years of playing against each other, and they have never beaten us. That's a confidence builder for us," said the Titans forward Mark Minichiello. "And another thing is that we finished third in the competition and they got through in eighth. We can go into the game feeling very confident about getting a result." * With agencies