Cudjoe stars in Giants stroll

Leroy Cudjoe: stunning solo try in the 25th minute

Widnes look set for a long, hard season on their return to Super League after slumping to a 66-6 defeat at Huddersfield.

A week after losing their opener at home to Wakefield, the Vikings were humiliated at the Galpharm Stadium, as Huddersfield claimed their second straight win in impressive style.

Leroy Cudjoe scored four tries for the Giants and there was a hat-trick from Academy product Luke George, while Danny Brough kicked nine goals.

The Giants, already leading 18-0 thanks to three early converted scores, were defending near their own tryline when Cudjoe broke for a stunning solo try in the 25th minute.

He intercepted Rhys Hansbury's attempted pass and raced down the other end, leaving all trailing in his wake for his second touchdown of the afternoon.

Centre Cudjoe, hoping to cement his place in the England side after making the Four Nations squad last term, had earlier finished off a flowing move.

Giants skipper Kevin Brown, playing in a new loose forward role, Simon Grix and Brough were involved in putting Cudjoe away into the corner in the 13th minute.

Cudjoe's hat-trick swiftly followed thanks to a final pass in another flowing move from Brough, who along with Brown was a constant threat.

Brough, who passed the 300-point barrier for the Giants with five first-half conversions, started the rout inside four minutes by setting up Luke Robinson for a try.

Grix dived over from Eorl Crabtree's pass in the 17th minute while youngster George scored his first try for the Giants from a move involving Brough and Joe Wardle.

Winger George is from the same Giants academy which has produced home-grown talents including Cudjoe, Jermaine McGillvary and Michael Lawrence recently.

Huddersfield led 34-0 at the break. The only attacking spell for Widnes came just before Cudjoe's sensational solo effort in a one-sided first half.

Respite

And it did not get much better for the Vikings after the break. Former Castleford star Greg Eden should have scored for the Giants in the 43rd minute but he managed to drop a Grix pass when clean through. The respite was only temporary though as George burst from inside his half to bag a solo score in the 49th minute.

A second brief attacking spell from Widnes brought consolation in the shape of a converted try from Paddy Flynn in the 53rd minutes. Patrick Ah Van added the extras.

The Giants responded by bursting past the half-century mark when Brown set up Cudjoe's fourth try on the hour followed by further tries for Jason Chan and George.

The rout continued six minutes from time with a try for Wardle, which Brough failed to convert, followed by Eden's solo effort in the 78th minute.

Brough this time kicked the extras to finish with nine goals from 11 attempts. The Giants roared forward again, but Brown's break was halted by the final hooter.