'Things are in their favour': Coach Rohan Smith reveals challenge Leeds Rhinos face at Hull KR

Three successive victories have lifted Rhinos to sixth in Betfred Super League and they will go fifth if they win and Castleford Tigers lose at home to Catalans Dragons.

But Leeds are just one point clear of ninth-placed Hull KR and have been reduced to only 19 available players because of injuries and suspensions.

Hull KR hit back to defeat Toulouse Olympique last Thursday, three days before Leeds’ home win over Salford Red Devils.

“I believe they have got a bunch of players coming back,” Smith said of the Robins, who Leeds beat 12-0 four months ago, in the final game before he arrived at the club.

“They are going to be hungry and desperate, they are playing at home and they’ve had a long turnaround, as opposed to our short turnaround, so I think most things are in their favour.”

Smith refuses to look at the league table, but is not playing down the importance of his 12th game in charge.

He will have coached against all Rhinos’ top-flight rivals after tonight and stressed: “It’s the most significant, because it’s the one we are playing this week.”

Smith insisted: “It is vital, it’s very important and means everything to us to go there and represent ourselves well and continue playing the way we have been.”

Rovers are coached by Rhinos legend Danny McGuire, who was placed in interim charge when Smith’s uncle, Tony Smith, was sacked in July.

“I don’t know Danny, but his playing career speaks for itself,” the Leeds boss said.

“I don’t know too much about him as a coach other than the players are playing with a lot of energy and competing hard.

“I believe they’ve cranked the intensity up this week in preparation for this game, [but] it’s certainly not about the battle of the coaches, it’s a battle of the clubs.

“I am sure it’ll mean a lot to him to be coaching against his former team, but we’ll be doing our best to make it an unhappy night.”