Hull KR v Leeds Rhinos: latest team news and 21-man squads
Leeds Rhinos’ ‘embarrassed’ players will be given a chance to redeem themselves against Hull KR tonight (Friday).
Coach Brad Arthur is not planning changes to the 17 from last week’s 38-0 loss at Wigan Warriors, when he admitted his side were “quite embarrassed” by their lack of physicality. Three-quarter Luis Roberts has been drafted into Rhinos’ initial 21 in place of forward Mickael Goudemand, who didn’t play last week and half-back Jack Sinfield and forwards Tom Nicholson-Watton and Ben Littlewood are also on stand-by.
Leeds need to win their final game of the regular season to have a chance of qualifying for the Betfred Super League play-offs and Arthur confirmed: “The squad will be the same. Team selection was always going to be the same as we put out last week, but a couple of blokes had some bumps and bruises so we had to have some coverage there. But we got through training okay [yesterday].”
Jai Whitbread returns for the Robins after serving a one-match ban and his fellow front-rower Leo Tennison has been drafted into the squad, along with academy winger Harvey Horne. George King, Danny Richardson and ex-Rhinos back Jack Broadbent retain their place in the 21 after not playing in last week’s win at Leigh Leopards.
The hosts are without captain and loose-forward Elliot Minchella who was handed a two-match penalty notice after being charged with grade C head contact. The former Rhinos man pleaded guilty, but will challenge the grading at a hearing next week in a bid to be available for Rovers’ first play-off tie. Niall Evalds is unavailable after failing a head injury assessment last week and Kelepi Tanginoa remains on the casualty list with a hamstring injury.
Leeds Rhinos: from Fusitu'a, Newman, Momirovski, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Bentley, Martin, Smith, O'Connor, Lisone, McDonnell, Sangare, Sinfield, Roberts, Donaldson, Edgell, Nicholson-Watton, Littlewood, Lumb.
Hull KR: from Hiku, Opacic, Gildart, Hall, Lewis, Sue, Litten, King, Hadley, Batchelor, Parcell, Luckley, Whitbread, Storton, May, Tennison, Horne, Burgess, Broadbent, Brown, Richardson.
Referee: Jack Smith (Wigan). Kick-off: Friday, 8pm.