Super League coach provides update after star player surprising spotted in protective boot

Rohan Smith will be forced to make two changes to his side this week after his Leeds Rhinos side beat Wigan Warriors last week but face them again in the Challenge Cup.

Smith said: “James Bentley it out with a concussion and Zane Tetevano is suspended, so there’s a couple of force changes there. But some other guys have been performing well in training, so we’ve also got Sezer back in the mix. So there’s a couple of things to work out there, but we’re sort of back to first choice spine at least.”

He also confirmed that former Wigan man James McDonnell is back in the mix saying: “Macca will be back, yep.”

However, a concern over James Bentley was raised after an image of him in a protective book made the rounds on social media.

Smith gave an update on the matter: “It was very precautionary. Had he not been following the concussion protocol, he wouldn’t have been wearing a brace.”

So it seems Bentley will be alright and could be in line to face his former club St Helens the week after the Challenge Cup tie as Leeds meet Saints at Headingley in a Grand Final rematch hoping for a first Headingley win against the Champions since 2017.