Leeds Rhinos’ gutsy derby win over Wakefield Trinity comes at a cost

GUTS AND a will to win underpinned Leeds Rhinos’ 20-18 victory at Wakefield Trinity today, according to their coach Richard Agar.
Leeds Rhinos hooker Kruise Leeming had to leave the action at Wakefield Trinity with a head knock. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA Wire.Leeds Rhinos hooker Kruise Leeming had to leave the action at Wakefield Trinity with a head knock. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA Wire.
Leeds Rhinos hooker Kruise Leeming had to leave the action at Wakefield Trinity with a head knock. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA Wire.

Brad Dwyer’s try, converted by Rhyse Martin 12 minutes from time, avenged Leeds’ 30-6 loss to Trinity three days earlier.

Rhinos, whose absentees included captain Luke Gale, fielded a mixture of first-team regulars and fringe/young players and hit back from 12-6 and 18-14 behind in their fourth game in 10 days.

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“We have had a very tough run, in terms of the demands on us,” Agar said. “Training [on Saturday] was more like a roll call, who can and can’t play.

Leeds Rhinos head coach, Richard Agar. Picture: Simon Hulme/JPIMedia.Leeds Rhinos head coach, Richard Agar. Picture: Simon Hulme/JPIMedia.
Leeds Rhinos head coach, Richard Agar. Picture: Simon Hulme/JPIMedia.

“Obviously it was a must-win game for us so we had to find a balance - we think our kids have done an admirable job, but we needed enough experience in there to try and get a result as well.

“We have a couple of outside-backs who were fit, but that was pretty much last men standing as far as the forwards go.”

Rob Lui and Kruise Leeming both had to leave the action due to head knocks and Agar revealed: “We had two players who shouldn’t have been on there, one with busted ribs and the other with a bad foot.

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“We [had to tell them] we simply can’t get you off the field or we’re playing with 12 or 11 men as we had used all our subs up by then because of the head knocks.

Leeds Rhinos' Rob Lui, getting to grips with Trinity's Jacob Miller, later had to leave the action following a knock to the head. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.Leeds Rhinos' Rob Lui, getting to grips with Trinity's Jacob Miller, later had to leave the action following a knock to the head. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.
Leeds Rhinos' Rob Lui, getting to grips with Trinity's Jacob Miller, later had to leave the action following a knock to the head. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.

“It was hard, really, really tough, but the guys found the guts and a way to win.

“We ran hard, tackled hard and tried our backsides off and came way with a narrow victory.

“I am really pleased for them.”

Agar admitted it was an ugly game, adding: “It was never going to be pretty - going there in November, it’s raining and a heavy pitch and it was both teams’ fourth game in 10 or 11 days.

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“Both teams had a lot of changes, but I am pleased with the way we gutsed it out and hung in there.

“We had an intercept go against us and a kick try and I thought we really were trying hard defensively.”

Leeds remain fifth in the Betfred Super League table, with three games still to play.

Friday’s derby is in doubt after 13 Castleford Tigers players tested positive for Covid-19 and a twice-postponed trip to Catalans Dragons is unlikely to be rearranged.

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Super League clubs are due to meet tomorrow to discuss possibly ending the regular season early and moving straight to an expanded play-offs series.

Agar conceded: “One thing we have learned this season is a lot of things can happen.

“Obviously if we play Castleford that gives us a chance to get our win percentage up a bit more and if we don’t play Cas we have got Wigan left. Is that going to be enough? Who knows? “Are they going to change the comp’? I don’t know.

“It might be a little late for that, but they may decide to go with a top-five or top-six, but we just don’t know.

“We don’t know when we are playing next.

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“But the bigger picture for us is we have had a really difficult couple of weeks in terms of the amount of football we’ve played and the lack of training, rest and recovery.

“If we can be in there swinging until the last game of the season, I think - from where we’ve come from and having won some silverware - that’s great and I know our boys will give it everything they’ve got.”

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