Rugby has been pushed to the back of fans’ agendas despite the Rhinos’ women’s team’s important match at Wembley this coming weekend due to the intense shock and grief surrounding the passing of Rob Burrow, one of the team’s favourite sons. It would have been tough for players and fans to have a men’s match this weekend, but following a week of sadness, focus will shift to the following game, which is on Saturday, June 15, at Hull FC. These are five points to discuss.
1: Difficult times are coming.
It will be challenging for everyone associated with Rhinos during the next few weeks. The men’s first game following Burrow’s passing is at Hull, and they will play Leigh Leopards at AMT Headingley one week later in what promises to be an exciting evening emotion
The Rhinos as a team have performed admirably in handling a difficult circumstance. Although many of the players and staff lost a buddy, they went above and above to make sure his death was honoured with love. Many people who felt as though they knew Burrow personally because of his incredible fortitude after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease and his accomplishments for such a long time on the pitch have found solace at the temporary shrine at Headingley.
That has an impact on the entire sport. Headingley has received messages from all throughout the league, even teams whose supporters wouldn’t often give Rhinos much of a chance. It’s totally appropriate and a monument to the amazing person he was.
Even if it has certainly taken a backseat over the past several days, Rhinos are still confident that they will name a sporting director sooner rather than later. Life goes on. The new hire will be in charge of hiring and firing players and personnel in addition to overseeing the overall rugby organisation.
It’s about time to replace Kevin Sinfield, who departed the team three years ago, in this capacity. Chief Executive Gary Hetherington has managed that side of business and non-playing concerns other than while Sinfield was in charge, so this will lessen the load.
Despite being linked, Sinfield is unlikely to return to the team anytime soon. He is concentrated on coaching and probably won’t be leaving Harlequins rugby union. Although Ian Blease, the chief executive of Salford Red Devils, is being cited as a potential candidate, the club is remaining silent.
3. The catastrophe was avoided.
Last Saturday, there were gloomy forecasts of a crushing loss, yet Rhinos defeated a very subpar Castleford Tigers team. Leeds was in complete control and defeated everyone 32-4 in the Betfred Super League.
Was it an attempt to hide the flaws or a sea change? Although Leeds didn’t play to its full ability and didn’t play flawlessly, it was a positive start, and most fans would have been content with a 28-point victory before the game had started.
The Tigers’ lacklustre performance had nothing to do with Leeds; their only goal was to win the match, which they accomplished with relative ease thanks to several players who had been performing much better lately. It was a good starting point, but the Rhinos must demonstrate their ability to compete against stronger opponents.
4: Which people?
Above all, Matt Frawley had the finest performance for Leeds. Although he has been somewhat of a scapegoat, he has participated in multiple attempts and scored one. In retaliation to half-back rival Jack Sinfield’s hat-trick for the reserves the night before, it was a passionate play.
The pack defeated the Tigers because full-back Lachie Miller was a threat on offence and didn’t make many mistakes. Assemble Justin Sangare demonstrated his abilities and made effective use of his size and strength. For some, the goal now is to do it more consistently, much like the squad as a whole.
5: Be forceful rather than timid
Leeds didn’t get much from the Tigers, but Rhinos held their ground when it mattered most. They played a lot better defensive than the “passive” style that was employed for the majority of the season by being far more proactive in getting in the faces of the opposition than they had been in previous games.
With Rhyse Martin in the second row and Paul Momirovski at centre, Leeds appeared like a much more evenly matched team. A special mention should go to Corey Johnson, who filled in admirably as the team’s backup hooker despite joining at short notice. His contract expires in the autumn, and with Jarrod O’Connor and Andy Ackers ahead of him, it’s unclear how he’ll fit in at Leeds in 2025. If he does depart, though, whomever loses it him up will get a talented young player with a lot of potential.
