Rohan Smith delivers parting message to Leeds Rhinos fans, reveals surprise interest from rival sport

Smith - who stepped down almost two weeks ago, with more than a season remaining on his contract - described his two years at Leeds as a “special” time in his life and insisted he moves on with no hard feelings.

Asked for a final message to Rhinos and their fans, Smith told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “I have enjoyed my time at the club, experienced a lot and met a lot of great people. We’ve been on a cracking journey, it is less than two years ago we were at Old Trafford. It has been a special time in my life and my family’s life and we will hold it close to our hearts.”

Smith steered Rhinos to a Betfred Super League Grand Final appearance at the end of his first season, but they missed out on the play-offs last year. “We are frustrated it didn’t work out, but that’s the way it goes,” he added.

“I look forward to watching the progression of the current roster which I think has great promise to give it a crack this year. Nothing changes there, in my opinion, but the future’s bright and I’ll be looking on with fascination and interest from afar.”

As for what he does next, Smith said he is open to offers in this country or his native Australia. “I can only stay here if there’s another job that presents itself,” he stressed. “Visa-wise you can’t just stay and do what you want.

“I have loved the UK every time I have been here so there’s no desperation to go back to Australia, it’s just circumstances may send us back home. I want to coach so wherever the work is has always been where home is.”

Though Rhinos was his first job as head-coach at the elite level, he has been in the profession since the early 2000s. “There has been a little bit of interest, surprisingly, from rugby union, which I don’t have much experience in at all,” he revealed. “There’s a few things around NRL cLubs that may eventuate, but nothing to report on at this stage.”