Leeds Rhinos great and Rugby League Hall of Famer Garry Schofield has blasted his former club in a sensational dressing-down of the club.
Schofield told the Yorkshire Evening Post that the club are “gutless, clueless and rudderless” in 2016 after a horrific run of form which has seen them rooted to the bottom of the table and seemingly destined for a battle for survival in the Qualifiers later this year.
Schofield identified the Rhinos forwards as a particular area of concern for the club, as well as saying nobody has begun to take over the mantle of leadership from departed skipper Kevin Sinfield.
He said: “The forward pack are simply not making their presence felt on the field, that’s why I say they are gutless.
“That makes it too hard for the half-backs to have any creativity. We have had Danny McGuire missing, but, at the end of the day, we have still got enough quality in that team. When you look at Robbie Burrow and Jordan Lilley and Liam Sutcliffe, there is enough creativity there. The forwards aren’t laying a platform, but at times when we have got ourselves into good field position, that’s when we have been clueless.
“They had a leader in Kevin Sinfield and nobody has been prepared to take over the ship like he did. Danny is the captain and he has been missing, but how much experience is in that side? I find it very hard to believe nobody has said ‘I am going to grab this bull by the horns and take this where it should be’.
“Nobody is prepared to do that, that’s the reason why I am saying they are gutless, clueless and rudderless. Quite simply, without Kevin Sinfield they haven’t got a leader.”
