Rugby League: Pressure Mounting on Leeds Rhinos Coach Rohan Smith After Fourth Straight Defeat
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Rugby league fans are questioning whether Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith is feeling the heat after his side twice surrendered sizeable leads to suffer a 30-24 defeat against Huddersfield Giants at Headingley.
Leading 12-2 at half-time and 24-12 with just 15 minutes remaining, the Rhinos capitulated to register their fourth consecutive loss, with boos ringing out from the home supporters at the final whistle. Smith, however, suggested the crowd could have been “booing the ref too”.
The decisive blow came five minutes from time when Lachlan Miller was forced back over his own goal-line and opted to kick short, failing to make the necessary 10 metres and handing Huddersfield a penalty in front of the posts to take the lead. Smith criticized the tackle that led to Miller’s error, calling it a “huge call” against his team, but acknowledged the short kick was an “incorrect call”.
“I’m confident we’ll get a good response next week and we’ll go to Hull and play well.” – Rohan Smith
The defeat has increased the pressure on Smith, with some fans calling for his dismissal. When asked if he felt the loss added more scrutiny, the Rhinos boss insisted he had “never considered that”, though he acknowledged his players’ efforts and the challenges posed by injuries to key players.
Leeds now find themselves with a 4-4 record, leading to fears of another trophyless season. However, Smith remains confident his side will respond positively when they face Hull FC next week, declaring: “I’m confident we’ll get a good response next week and we’ll go to Hull and play well.”
With the Rhinos in desperate need of a result, Smith will be hoping to quickly turn things around and ease the mounting pressure on his position.
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