Leeds Rhinos keen to 'put on a show' for travelling fans and end scoreless run at Catalans Dragons
If Leeds Rhinos get an early opportunity to kick a goal against Catalans Dragons this evening (Saturday) they’ll take it.
The Betfred Super League leaders haven’t scored a point in their last three visits to Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan, losing 61-0 in 2023, 26-0 the following year and 11-0 last season. Brad Arthur was coach for Rhinos’ most recent loss in the south of France and admitted: “I am aware of it; we won’t focus too much on it, but if we get a penalty and it’s in goal kicking range, we will be taking it! We’ll make sure this year, I made a mistake last year and I won’t be doing it this time.”
Rhinos are in better form and have a healthier squad than their past three trips to Perpignan and Arthur described previous results there as “history”. He stressed: “It is what it is, there’s always records there to be broken - we are focusing on a good performance and our travelling fans, we want to put on a show for them.”
Despite their recent record, Rhinos - who won 48-24 away to the other French club Toulouse Olympique last month - will go into tonight’s game as favourites. Catalans are eighth in the table, 12 points behind Leeds and were thumped 60-18 by Toulouse last week
“I am not reading anything into that game,” Arthur stressed. “They are a different team to that. There’s the bounce back factor which everyone is aware of and they are a big, strong, powerful team playing at home so we can expect a really energised and enthusiastic start.
“That’s what we will be getting ourselves ready for, but we are probably more focused around us. It is very hard to get a full 80-minute performance; every team is chasing it and striving for it, but it is extremely hard to achieve. We have just got to try to minimise the damage when concentration lapses.”
Rhinos led 34-4 soon after half-time against Bradford Bulls last weekend, but conceded back-to-back tries before pulling away late on to win 50-16. Arthur reflected: “We were totally dominant, but there was a period when we just lacked a bit of concentration.
“We had to recheck ourselves and get ourselves back on track and that’s a good lesson for us. We are getting to learn those lessons on the run and they are not costing us results.”
After six successive wins, Rhinos are in pole position to claim a first league leaders’ shield since 2015. Arthur is happy with the way his team are going, but stressed the real challenge is to maintain that standard.
He said: “We have a high level of reliability at the moment and our forward pack is so strong, so dominant and carrying the ball so powerfully and owning their work defensively. I am really happy with where everyone’s at, but if you start getting comfortable and putting the slippers on, it starts to unfold in the wrong direction so we are being really diligent about us.”