'Abysmal, lazy, needless': Leeds Rhinos fans fear for St Helens Challenge Cup tie after defeat v Catalans

For the third successive year, Rhinos failed to score away to Catalans Dragons, being beaten 11-0 in a poor-quality contest at Stade Gilbert Brutus. Rhinos now have to get their chins off the floor for Friday’s Betfred Challenge Cup tie at St Helens.

BECKY OXLEY

After witnessing last weekend’s performance, I found myself regretting my previous optimism. I had genuinely believed we would finally break the curse of scoring ‘nul points’ at Catalans for the third consecutive season. In one of the numerous WhatsApp groups I am a member of, I had even encouraged a group of ardent Rhinos supporters to maintain their faith, assuring them we would secure victory. However, within half an hour, I was compelled to concede defeat.

It was a scrappy and error-ridden display. Defensively, we performed admirably in the initial 40 minutes, displaying a sense of intent. I anticipated Brad Arthur would provide a strong motivational speech and spur them into action. Unfortunately, this did not materialise and the situation deteriorated rather than improving. It was as if we were reliving the last two seasons, devoid of any discernible strategy or attacking prowess.

In my opinion, Matt Frawley and Andy Ackers should be dropped from the team and we should return to fundamental principles. Catalans did not exhibit any exceptional tactics and we were unable to present them with even a competitive challenge. If we are to have any chance of success against Saints in the Challenge Cup this weekend, BA will require significant effort to address the team’s shortcomings this week.

The only consistent performers were Jarrod O’Connor and Riley Lumb. Despite the setback, I must endeavour to maintain my optimism and faith in the team. This season has only just commenced and there is still ample opportunity for improvement.

DAVID MUHL

Another pointless visit to France. I always try to find some positives, but I must be honest and say I’m struggling this week. I could quite easily have picked a piece from last year and regurgitated it.

The old problems were there for all to see: errors, silly penalties and poor execution. I really thought we had turned a corner, but on this showing there’s still an awful lot of work to do. There wasn’t really a player in the squad who came out with any great credit. I suppose I could be generous and say our defence was okay in the main, but our attack was non-existent. If we were still playing now, I doubt we’d have scored.

On paper, we have a great squad and there’s no doubting Brad Arthur is an excellent coach, but we just aren’t progressing. Players at this level should be able to do at least the basics right, but the skill and execution levels are well below what is expected of a Rhinos team.

We didn’t build any pressure because our completion rate was appalling. It wasn’t even as if Catalans were playing great rugby. A spectacle and entertainment this certainly wasn’t and any neutral would have turned off after 10 minutes.

At least BA is honest in his post-match press conferences and sees the issues; too many coaches in the past have washed over the problems and tried to make out nothing’s wrong. I’m sure he will work hard to try and improve things.

I watched Saints the night before and felt we had a real chance in this week’s Challenge Cup tie, but after our performance on Saturday, unless there’s a massive improvement, we have no chance. I’ll finish on a positive, Peter Kay was brilliant in Leeds on Saturday night.

TOM GOLDSWORTHY

For the third year in a row, Leeds Rhinos have gone to the Perpignan and failed to score a single point as the Dragons overcame us in a scrappy game in which neither team showed any real quality on the pitch. The performance on Saturday evening was dreadful, there is no shying away from that.

It felt like we were watching Rohan Smith's Leeds again. There was no respect for the ball and our discipline was abysmal. There were countless times Leeds had them pinned on their line and we let them off the hook with a lazy, needless penalty. Or, we'd be making decent metres and look to finally score and then drop the ball, undoing all our hard work. These are schoolboy errors which there are no excuses for in my opinion and we need to get it out of our system.

The main issue for me, however, was the lack of control and attacking threat. The game was crying out for an experienced player to take the control, but it was like our spine had not even travelled to France. The Dragons were there for the taking and it is concerning that our quality players could not capitalise. I appreciate Brodie Croft and Matt Frawley had missed the previous week’s game, but they looked like they'd never played with each other. There was no attacking rhythm at all. We are in for another long season if performances like this become the norm.

Looking ahead to Friday's game against Saints, this will be our first big test against one of our rivals for silverware this season. The team need to prove they have turned a corner, especially after Saturday's performance, which makes our visit across the Pennines a must-win game. I do think we've got it in our locker to go there and get a win, however it all depends on which Leeds side shows up.

IAIN SHARP

Normally I write something as the game is fresh in my memory, but for the battle in France I did have something drafted based on Shakespear’s rousing Henry V act three scene four, just prior to the Battle of Agincourt. Given the performance on Saturday night, I’ve had to bin that and write afresh.

Keen observers (I guess that’s just my wife and family) may have been interested in my somewhat creative route getting to France - via another continent - and my vain attempt to get more passport stamps than Judith Chalmers, as featured in the YEP last

Thursday. I am delighted to report that all the various legs of the trip went as planned and I am now safely back in my secret bunker in Yorkshire.

Some fans view the trip as an extended weekend on the beer, but there is the good food, decent wine and the culture to soak up. The Palace of the Kings of Majorca was excellent and there’s even a nod to the John Gardner reboot of James Bond from the 1980s. The

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, suggests ‘once a year, go somewhere you’ve never been’. In which case, can I suggest for next year Leeds consider a journey behind the Catalans tryline, preferably with ball-in-hand? I’ve clocked up more frequent flyer points in three days than Leeds have troubling the local scoreboard operator in the last three years. I suspect it may be a club all-time record to have not scored away at the same opponent for three successive visits. Sadly, Leeds’ performance was instantly forgettable and, unlike the many postcards purchased by fans, definitely falls into the category of nothing to write home about.

GAVIN MILLER

Well that was dreadful, pretty embarrassing to be honest. Catalans had failed to win any of their three opening games, until Leeds Rhinos flew into town, toothless and bereft, to fail to score and allow their opposition 11 points in reply.

I genuinely don’t know what to say. I could say this player was okay, but these players were terrible and we deserved nothing in return, but I think we should address the elephant in the room. Rugby league just isn’t the sport it once was.

The powers that be are so terrified of litigation the game has been sanitised to glorified touch and pass and all the things I used to love about rugby league - big hits, players running upright at other players - are now gone. Gone are the days of big, strapping forwards who just wanted to get on top of their opposition number, so the skilful backs could cause mayhem and speedy wingers would go the length of the field. Nowadays, it’s much more technical and sanitised and it’s just not the same anymore.