Leeds Rhinos' James Bentley talks returning from suspension, keeping calm and facing old club St Helens

Bentley served a one-game ban last week when Rhinos hit back from 16-0 down to win at Leigh Leopards. Now back in the squad for the first of successive home meetings with Saints, in Betfred Super League and the Challenge Cup, he is keen to make a positive impact.

“I am happy, I am feeling good,” Bentley said. “Obviously it was disappointing with the suspension, but it is what it is and I have just got to control what I can control. That’s what I did last week - getting myself ready to play again - so I am looking forward to going out there and getting stuck in, but keeping calm and controlled.”

The one-game penalty notice for grade B striking in this month’s home win against Catalans Dragons was the sixth time Bentley has been charged by the RFL match review panel since being sent-off during his debut two years ago. His ‘bad boy’ reputation has made him a target for opposing teams and Catalans certainly tried to get in his face, but Bentley insisted it is his job to handle that better.

He said: “I know that’s coming, but it’s down to me to control myself and think of the bigger picture and winning the game, not the little individual battles all the time. I feel I have been a lot calmer this year. There’s been a few incidents where I’ve kept my cool a bit better, but there’s still things to improve, as we’ve seen, which I am working on. I just want to get back out there and play.”

Bentley’s 2023 season ended in August when he suffered a heavy concussion during a defeat at Huddersfield Giants. Minor ankle and shoulder injuries kept him out of Rhinos’ warm-up matches at the start of this year, but he returned to the field as a substitute in the round one win at home to Salford Red Devils.

The 26-year-old - who revealed in pre-season he has given up alcohol, which he felt was affecting all aspects of his life, including rugby - reckons he was playing well before the ban and is determined to pick up where he left off. “I still think there’s room for improvement and always will be, but overall I am generally happy with how I am playing,” he reflected. “I am feeling a lot fitter and getting through some hard work in D [defence] so I am just looking forward to building thIs year and seeing where we can go.”

Bentley began his professional career with Bradford Bulls before making 57 appearances for Saints from 2018-2021. He admitted: “It’s always a big one when you’re playing your old team. You want to win and to compete against your mates there. I am looking forward to getting back out there this week and it’s nice to be up against them.”

Saints have a similar record to Rhinos this season with three wins and a defeat, which came at home to Salford Red Devils a week ago. Bentley warned: “They will definitely be up for it. They will want to come here and put last week right and it’s the same for us; we want to keep building on what we’ve done so far. We are on a bit of a good roll now so we want to keep that momentum snowballing.

“[Last week’s win] definitely shows how much we’ve grown as a group and how much stronger we are. To be able to keep our heads and for the lads to come back from that was massive and I think we’ll take a lot from it.”

Rhinos have an entirely new spine this year, with their full-back, both halves and hooker all being in their first season at the club. They have also yet to field a full-strength lineup and will have key players missing this week, but Bentley reckons, despite the positive start, there’s better to come.

“I’ve only played with Crofty [stand-off Brodie Croft] a few times,” he pointed out. “We are getting that partnership there, which I am looking forward to building this year and getting more game time together. I think it will come with time; the more time we get together, the better we’ll be.”

It is not just on the field where Rhinos have improved this season, according to Bentley. He added: “We’ve worked a lot on our culture and building our relationships with each other. We’ve done a lot of work together on and off the field, on things like the environment we’ve created at Kirkstall [the club’s training base]. Everyone’s there having coffees, we’ve got a ping pong table and a dart board and everyone’s spending time together even when we aren’t playing. Out on the training paddock we are building that culture and I think we are getting a good, strong culture here now.”