Sky Sports pundits criticize Leeds Rhinos’ tactics under Rohan Smith

VaselineMay 12, 2024

1 2 minutes read

Sky Sports pundits criticize Leeds Rhinos’ tactics under Rohan Smith

Leeds Rhinos suffered another damaging defeat in Perpignan, losing 26-0 to Catalans Dragons.

It is the Rhinos’ fifth defeat in 11 Super League games and leaves them outside the top six ahead of a tough away game against St Helens.

It was a poor performance from Leeds in the south of France, with errors and poor discipline costing them their field position and preventing them from putting any sustained pressure on the hosts.

Despite a depleted squad, with head coach Rohan Smith forced to field more youngsters, it was another worrying display from the Rhinos.

One thing that has come under scrutiny recently is their style, and on Sky Sports pundits Jon Wells and Jon Wilkin have criticized the tactics employed by Leeds this season.

Sky Sports pundits criticize Leeds Rhinos

Jon Wilkin was the first to hit out at the Rhinos, claiming he won’t be able to play in the current Leeds side under Smith because they are “always on the back foot”.

“Leeds come with historic pressure and they haven’t delivered for a long time,” Wilkin said. “I want to be positive and I’m going to celebrate positivity and I’m going to get into a fight after you give it a try and I’m going to do all this modern shit.

“But in the year I’ve been through, if I put on a performance like that someone like Paul Sculthorpe would destroy me. Would my teammates accept this?

“They have to be strong enough to deal with injuries. It can come as no surprise that Jack Sinfield is on the team.

“Leeds’ backbone is a red herring though, I’m telling you now, because they always get back on the pitch and are happy to do so. Until they address that, they’re going to lose games.

“I couldn’t play in a team that was on the back foot all the time and then expect to come with some kind of fluency with the ball when you’re absolutely gassed, when you’re on your feet, when you’ve had no momentum and when you had absolutely no impact on the game. It’s an incredibly hard way to play.”

Can Leeds finish in the top six?

Despite the disappointing performances from the Rhinos this season, they are still within touching distance of the play-off places and just four points behind Wigan Warriors at the top of the table.

Despite this, both Wells and Wilkin predict that the table will take shape in the coming weeks and Leeds will end up in a battle for the final top six spot.

“I think it’s going to be an all-out battle for the sixth and final playoff spot and I think it’s going to be form and it’s going to be point difference at the right time,” Wells said.

He continued: “I can see Leeds being in a group of teams that could finish sixth and that’s where we are, that’s my honest opinion.”

Wilkin added: “Leeds are theoretically better but practically worse than they were last season. It’s a tough couple of games for them to get out, facing Hull FC and London, and going to the south of France.

“But I don’t think it excuses the errors and the kind of passive sloppy defending they have shown repeatedly since Rohan Smith has been in charge. It’s not new, is it?”

VaselineMay 12, 2024

1 2 minutes read

Sky Sports pundits criticize Leeds Rhinos

Can Leeds finish in the top six?

Vaseline

Related Articles

DarioHealth Corp. (DRIO) Q2 2024 Transcript of earnings call

Gold’s Bull Run Inspires Bitcoin Forecasts: Insights from Fred Krueger and Jack Mallers

Bitcoin (BTC) Price Drops to $58.2K; Solana falls 9%

1 42% High Growth Stock to Buy Right Now