Richard Agar restores Leeds Rhinos' pride with Coral Challenge Cup win over Salford Red Devils

Agar took charge when Leeds were at a low ebb in May last year, after originally joining the club to lead their player development department.

Despite taking Hull to Wembley in 2008, doing well on a limited budget at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and having a spell at Warrington working alongside Tony Smith, he has faced regular criticism - and at times abuse - during his coaching career.

But his players heaped praise on him after the 17-16 Wembley win over Salford Red Devils and Agar insisted that is what really matters.

“I don’t think I am ever going to win the PR battle,” Agar admitted in his post-match press conference. “Anyone can look at where we were 12 months ago, where we are now and the progress of some of our younger players - and we have got a cup on the table.

“People who want to come out and criticise are going to wait in the background and use any stick they can to beat me with.

“Some of it is social media-driven. I have been in the game 17-18 years and I am being judged by people who’ve got less knowledge than me about rugby league.

“I just keep a silence on it. I trust that the players I have coached - State of Origin players, Australian internationals, Great Britain internationals - do my talking for me.”

Agar added: “I think that’s why some clubs value what I can do for them as a coach, or whatever role that has been.

“I am not precious about being head coach, I just love working in the game, at whatever level.

“I have had messages from four Australian internationals and State of Origin players [before the final] and I think it is the impression you make on those guys that matters.”

Agar has now followed in the footsteps of Allan Agar who coached Featherstone Rovers to Cup glory in 1983.

They are the first father-son duo to achieve the feat and Agar said: “I am really proud of that.

“From a little, rugby-mad mining village [Featherstone] I think that is a wonderful story for us and our family.”

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Laura Collins