Leeds Rhinos v Hull KR: Las Vegas means nothing as Brad Arthur predicts 'fierce' clash v 'best defence'

Rhinos famously put the defending Betfred Super League champions to the sword in Sin City four months ago, scoring 10 tries in a sensational 58-6 victory. That was the launchpad for Leeds’ season and they go into tomorrow top of the table, four points ahead of the Robins who are third and have a game in hand.

But though the Las Vegas win was Rhinos’ third in succession against Hull KR, Arthur is adamant February’s result has no bearing now. “It’ll be tough,” the Leeds boss predicted of the round 16 clash.

“All our games against Hull KR have been fierce. I know there was a blowout in the Vegas game, but that was just an off night for those guys and we had one of those fortunate nights when everything turned to gold.

“We haven’t looked into that and it’s not a motivational factor for us. It’s just a big game and every time you win it feels like the next week becomes more important and bigger.”

A crowd of more than 17,000 is expected and Arthur added: “The fact we’re playing at home and it’s close to a sell-out is really encouraging. There’s only one way to keep the fans wanting to come back and support us and that’s how we play. Results are important, but I think it’s more around what sort of performance we’re able to put in.”

After a slow start to the season, the Robins have won nine of their last 10 Super League fixtures, an identical record to Rhinos’. “They are the best defensive team in the comp at the moment,” Arthur warned.

"They had that big score put on by us, but have done a really good job to claw themselves back. Their two halves are playing really well with a lot of involvement and touches and they’ve got a strong forward pack.

"In these big games against these big teams, there are no weaknesses. It's who can build the pressure and who can withstand the pressure for the longest.”

Rhinos’ annual motor neurone disease awareness game will be an emotional occasion, but - despite the situation on the table - Leeds are treating it as just another big game. Arthur pledged: “We’ve got to be careful not to get too far ahead of ourselves and look too far forward.

“We know exactly where we sit and that we’re the ones being chased, but the focus for us is not so much about the position we’re in and the opportunities that could come from it; it’s the opportunity to be known as a reliable team and for the opposition to know what to expect every week.

“The biggest one is that our family, friends and fans know exactly what to expect from this team when they take the field. That’s the thing I want to hang my hat on and be proud of. I want to be comfortable knowing exactly what I’m going to get when I come to a game.”

Of what two points tomorrow would mean to Rhinos, who are at full-strength, Arthur stressed: “It would put more pressure on us to win next week in the Magic round. You’ve just got to keep chalking up the results at this time of year.

“It’s an important game, we can’t hide from that - I’d much rather be sitting where we’re sitting than 10 points less. We’ve worked hard to put ourselves in a good position, we should be proud of it and have the desire to stay there.

“It is significant, but we haven’t talked about it as a team; we’re talking about how our game looks. If we keep chasing that part of it, the scoreboard and the wins take care of themselves. Being reliable is our biggest motivation.”