Inexperience led to Leeds Rhinos’ collapse at home to Hull KR admits coach Dave Furner

Rhinos led 22-0 at the interval and added a converted try to their total early in the second period, but then conceded 24 unanswered points and were hanging on frantically at the end.

It was Leeds’ third successive home win in Betfred Super League and all three have followed the same pattern with Rhinos dropping away after building a big lead.

Rhinos missed some opportunities in the second half when it seemed Rovers could be blown away and those errors almost proved costly.

Asked what his emotions were after the game, Furner admitted: “I wish I didn’t come out in the second half!”

He said: “I thought it was a very good performance in the first half, really controlled.

“We knew they would mount a fightback in the second half, but there were a couple of big momentum swingers – I think we had three play-one errors.

“That’s not directed at anyone, it just shows a bit of inexperience in our team.

“They could have been tries and I reckon the game would have been over.”

The win lifted Leeds above Hull KR into 10th in the table, two points ahead of bottom club London Broncos.

Furner added: “It’s not only the play-one errors, when under fatigue you have got to stay as a line – intact – and a couple of times people were trying to solve it on their own.

“We will certainly learn from that second half, but I am liking having the two points and being able to learn off those type of games.”

Rhinos were without nine players through injury or suspension and suffered three more injuries during the game.

Jack Walker sustained a hamstring problem in his comeback match following from shoulder damage and Brad Dwyer (shoulder) and Kallum Watkins (knee) also picked up knocks and could be in doubt for Friday’s visit to Salford Red Devils.

“Credit to the players,” Furner added.

“It was a tough 40 minutes and we probably put ourselves in that position, but we hung on and that’s what the Easter period’s about.”