Daryl Powell blasts six again rule after defeat to Leeds Rhinos

Despite leading 16-0 and 22-6 against Leeds Rhinos in today’s friendly, Wakefield Trinity came up short against their West Yorkshire rivals losing 41-22 but there was still plenty to be pleased about for Daryl Powell’s new side.

They were by far the stronger side in the first 40 and look to have the tools to bounce straight back into Super League in 2024.

Speaking after the game, Daryl Powell gave the following assessment of proceedings:

“Terrific start to the game, 16-0 up inside as many minutes, you must have been delighted. Yeah I thought we started great. I thought the first half in general obviously Leeds got a bit of ascendancy towards the end of the first half but we I thought we were really good, we defended well and Leeds scored from a kick. Apart from that I thought we were an excellent first half.

“We lost Max Jowitt at half-time and then Lachlan Walmsley ended up coming off so we got rattled a little bit and obviously both teams changed a fair bit but plenty for us to be happy about and plenty for us to work on which is generally what you find in these games.”

However, Powell was less than impressed by the officiating around the ruck as the sport tests new rules about ruck speed to try and tidy it up.

Powell even suggested the officials didn’t know what they were penalising. He said: “I don’t know why there were so many in the game today. It was a little bit slower wasn’t it? It’s Christmas, you know, it’s hard. I just thought it was a little bit touchy at the ruck. But they’re talking about cleaning the ruck up, so you know, if that’s the way it’s going to be, then we’ll all have to learn to sort our games out I suppose.

“But yeah, there were way too many six against, you know, there were two or three in the set at times which, I mean I don’t like the rule anyway and to see so many of them is pretty frustrating but look it is what it is at the moment. They’re the rules and we have to work within them so I’ll have a look at them and see what I think.

“To be honest I’m not sure referees know what the point at times with them so it’ll be interesting to have a look at it.”