Attacking style pleases Leeds Rhinos coach

Rhinos have not played since thrashing Toronto Wolfpack 66-12 on March 5. That was their fourth successive win and lifted them briefly into top spot on the table, though other results have since moved them down to third.

“It’s a shame the season has stopped because we felt we were in a good place,” Agar said of the sport’s suspension due to coronavirus.

“But everybody’s in the same boat and we will build it back up again, just as I’m sure everyone else will.”

Despite having two games in hand on most of their rivals, Rhinos are Super League’s top scorers and Agar insisted: “I think it is important we play a good style of rugby.”

He said: “At Leeds there’s a certain style that’s in the heritage and DNA of the club and I think as a group we felt it was our duty to try and continue that, encourage it and express it.

“We’ve got some players who have those sorts of skills in their game so we felt that was important. We have got some structure, but we want to allow the players to showcase their individual talents within that structure and to be able to come away from that structure at times and play what they see and play a bit of ad-lib.

“We have got the balance right so far on that.”

Leeds have also been impressive in defence, half of their 60 points conceded coming in a round one loss to Hull.

“We have had our slips,” Agar admitted. “Hull at home was one, but we have got a lot more consistent in that and I think it comes down to effort areas and a lot of the guys being committed to defence and to each other.

“There’s a lot of little parts of our game defensively we need to work on. Whatever defensive system you want to implement there’s always weak spots, but you can cover a lot of that up with effort.

“The ways the boys have committed to it has been rewarded with some strong defensive displays. There’s tougher tests to come, but our average in terms of points conceded from the middle of last year is quite a healthy one.”

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