Harlequins 16 Bradford Bulls 58

If anyone needed reassuring that the Bulls are still a genuine Super League force it came during a sensational five-try 15-minute burst at The Stoop.

Steve McNamara didn't require any confirmation he knows what his team are capable of but nonetheless he enjoyed watching them destroy Harlequins courtesy of the rapid-fire first-half attack.

After last year's title success, when Bradford escaped their early-season nightmare to surge to Grand Final glory from third spot, everyone knows anything is possible.

They have been inconsistent again in 2006. Nowhere near as bad as last time but with a new-look squad, four defeats already to their name and the surprise departure of Brian Noble, many doubters have already written them off.

However, the slick manner in which they ripped Quins apart on Saturday suggests there is no reason why this vintage can't also go on and make it six Grand Finals in a row.

"We were pretty ruthless," admitted McNamara. "There was a spell in that first half where we got the game by the scruff of the neck and wouldn't let go."

Too right. Everything clicked and the opposition simply had no answers.

The Bulls had been poor losing at Hull last Friday and McNamara demanded an improvement. He never questioned their defensive desire but he wanted more options in attack, better support play and finer decision-making.

He got all of that and the result was plain to see.

The sides were evenly matched inside the first quarter. Marcus St Hilaire in for the injured Mick Withers saw his sixth-minute effort cancelled out by opposite number Mark McLinden after Quins' Rob Purdham had broken the Bulls line too easily.

Paul Deacon demonstrated the visitors' attacking adventure when he ran on the last tackle 40 metres out and delivered an inviting pass to Shontayne Hape. But the centre ignored the floater, believing it was for his winger Lesley Vainikolo, and the ball sailed into touch.

You sensed the adventure might need a little work.

Quins went close as David Mills spilled while barging for the line and from the 20-metre restart Deacon's pass was immediately intercepted to allow the Londoners more pressure.

Some frantic goal-line defence denied them though and, aided by a couple of penalties, the champions worked their way down field.

The clock stood at 19 minutes, the score locked at 6-6, when Ben Harris picked up a loose pass to get Marcus Bai over in the corner, signalling the start of that amazing spell where the Bulls just wouldn't let go.

It lasted right through until the break when battered Quins were finally able to get a breath but, by then, the scoreboard read 36-6.

Vainikolo picked off a fortuitous third try. Iestyn Harris had attacked the line and created a gap for Deacon but he couldn't hold on to the delayed pass.

Henry Paul playing against his former Bradford team-mates after his return from rugby union gathered and immediately looked to counter from just inside his own half, throwing a ball wide to the waiting three-quarters. The only problem was the three-quarter was Vainikolo, who sneaked in for the easiest of interceptions.

By now, Andy Lynch was thriving down the middle with his purposeful drives and fellow prop Joe Vagana wasn't far behind, exploding onto the ball and forcing three men to finally haul him down every time he stepped up.

Stanley Gene came on at second row, bumping off would-be tacklers in every direction he turned with his unique approach, and Paul Johnson was another who revelled in the service off quick play-the-balls.

The Bulls forwards were rolling and trampling everything in their path.

Straight from the restart after Vainikolo's score, Gene arced his way out to the right flank, setting Marcus Bai free with Ben Harris cutting in.

Quins couldn't keep up as Lynch and Stuart Fielden punched further, conceding a penalty as they attempted to slow it all down.

Coach Basil Richards came on with the tee a kick would have taken Bulls three scores clear but confidence was sky high.

Terry Newton ignored that, they tapped and soon after his brilliant flat-pass had Lynch over at the side of the posts.

Again from the restart, Gene set the pace "a handful every time he got the ball" admired McNamara. This time the Quins defenders ripped his jersey clean off in a desperate attempt to control a little man who punches so much harder than his weight.

Another pinpoint pass from Newton had Fielden barging over and then we saw 19-stone Vagana intercepting and offloading to Johnson to prove he can do just the same as his fancy-dan Kiwi mates Hape and Vainikolo.

No try came of it but at 36-6 Deacon had slotted every conversion the Bulls had already sealed the match.

You couldn't expect the same scoring rate in the second period and it was the home side who got the first touchdown following the restart, courtesy of Lee Hopkins.

A classy finish from Hape quickly halted any hopes of a miraculous comeback and then Vainikolo got on the end of another neat Deacon grubber.

Winger Zebastian Luisi pulled one back for Quins before Lynch and Karl Pryce rounded off the rout.

For Paul, who left for Gloucester after the 2001 Grand Final win, it was a hard afternoon playing behind a resoundingly beaten pack.

He showed some signs of his old magic but was outshone by Harris and co.

It was a warming sight to see the Bulls so crisp and clinical a far cry from February's embarrassing reverse fixture at Odsal when they limped to a late draw and McNamara was naturally delighted.

"We showed in glimpses how good we can be," he added, with the champions now just a point behind second-placed Leeds.

"It was a pleasure to watch them. The players invested a lot of effort and energy right from when the game finished at Hull and throughout the week.

"It showed in the performance. We focused on one area in particular in offence and one in defence.

"When we do it, our support play and our push makes us look a completely different side."