An immaculate kicking display from Braam van Straaten maintained Leeds' unbeaten start to the season with a crushing defeat of London Irish.

The South African stand-off kicked nine penalties and two conversions for a club record haul of 31 points.

Leeds also scored a try in each half as they proved last weekend's victory over champions Leicester was no fluke.

A 15th minute charge from new signing Diego Albanese followed by some fine support play created a score for flanker Dan Hyde when full-back Dan Scarbrough was held short of the line.

And another Albanese break created room for stand-off Gordon Ross to jink over near the end.

Van Straaten converted both and also kicked nine penalties to equal the Premiership record set by former Harlequin Thierry Lacroix and Newcastle's Dave Walder.

Irish replied quickly to Hyde's try with a touchdown of their own from full-back Michael Horak.

But in a match punctuated by needless penalties, the Exiles paid the price for offending most frequently.

The immaculate Van Straaten punished them mercilessly with the boot, even landing one effort from fully 55 yards.

Barry Everitt, normally a prolific point-scorer himself, did convert a penalty either side of half-time.

But after the break Leeds began to find the composure that had deserted them in the opening half and which had been so evident against Leicester last week.

Everitt was handed few further chances to go for goal while Van Straaten kicked five more penalties to complete his record haul.

And the Yorkshiremen's winning margin could have been even greater had Ross not misjudged a cross-field chip to George Harder on the wing.

Leeds: Scarbrough; Harder, Davies, Van Straaten, Albanese; Ross, Dickens; Shelley, Regan, Kerr, C. Murphy, Palmer, Hyde, Mather, Fea'unati.
Replacements: Holt, Rawlinson, Campbell, Hogg, Rock, Emmerson, Hall.

London Irish: Horak; Sackey, Bishop, Appleford, Rossouw; Everitt, Edwards; Worsley, Kirke, Hardwick, Strudwick, Casey, Cockle, Dawson, Danaher.
Replacements: Barrett, Mapletoft, Gustard, Flavin, Burke, Hatley, Halford.

Referee: Robin Goodliffe (RFU)