'Hurt' Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith makes stark assessment after disastrous loss to Wakefield Trinity

Rhinos were second-best to a Trinity side missing 12 first team players and who had French debutant Hugo Salabrio sent-off early in the second half.

Having hit back from 10-0 down to go in at the break all square, Leeds led briefly in the third period, but conceded two tries after Ash Handley was sin-binned for tripping.

The 24-14 loss was Rhinos’ sixth defeat from their last seven games and though they remained eighth in the Betfred Super League table, they are now six points adrift of the play-offs.

It came just eight days after Leeds were beaten by 11th-placed Castleford Tigers at Magic Weekend.

Super League’s bottom two have won four games between them in the first 15 rounds, three against Rhinos and the other was Tigers’ defeat of Trinity.

Wakefield had lost 16 successive games, dating back to the final match of last season, before Sunday and Smith made no attempt to mask his “huge disappointment”.

He conceded: “We let ourselves down against a spirited team that dug deep and competed hard.

“Not executing opportunities was the issue this week. It's not always the same thing or the same person. We've got to keep chasing the answers. We need to change some things and improve a lot.

“We just didn't play well enough. Collectively and individually, just nowhere near the standard. Our ability to start some games, finish others has not been good enough.”

Asked if it was the lowest he had felt during his 13 months at Leeds, Smith insisted: “I feel low after every poor performance and loss.

“The losses never leave a coach, I don't think. You learn to deal with them better, but you tend to carry them with you.

“There's a lot of hurt and disappointment with me personally and in the dressing room. It's not close to the standard, we've got to find it - and quickly.”

Rhinos’ Challenge Cup exit means they are without a game next weekend so have until Friday, June 23, to stew over Sunday’s result.

“It's maybe a good time to dwell on it and think things through and for us as coaching staff to identify the areas we think we can improve on quickest and prepare for the Huddersfield game,” Smith said.

One positive for Leeds was the debut of 20-year-old Leon Ruan. The former Wakefield academy second-rower was a first half replacement for Nene Macdonald - who failed a head injury assessment - and scored their second try.

Smith reflected: “He went well, He came on a bit earlier than anticipated. He started with us in July last year while still playing for Doncaster and I don't think he has missed a training session.

“He is a terrific young bloke, he has worked his whole life for that opportunity today, to play for Leeds.

“He gave a good account of himself on debut; it's a shame we couldn't celebrate a win for him, but he's certainly one for the future and maybe a bit more for the present as well.”