Sneyd: Leeds were just too good

HULL FC’S Marc Sneyd insists it was Leeds Rhinos’ supreme class more than his own side’s deficiencies that led to their second half destruction last week.
Danny McGuireDanny McGuire
Danny McGuire

The former Castleford stand-off had been influential as Hull built up a 12-0 interval lead against their West Yorkshire visitors on Thursday, creating Leon Pryce’s first try with a smart kick, converting both and causing Leeds ample problems.

However, the Airlie Birds disintegrated alarmingly in the second period as the six-times champions ran in seven unanswered tries to triumph 43-12.

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Hull had been depleted by injuries and lost Liam Watts to a hamstring pull in the warm-up but there was obvious question marks about the lack of resolve, particularly up front.

But Sneyd insisted: “I’m not too sure. It was just them really.

“There was a little bit to do with us and how we defended in that second half but the way they played obviously showed the difference.

“We just didn’t have any ball. In the second half they played pretty much the same as they did in the first half but things were coming off more than in the first.

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“It was a case of no possession for us. And them being Leeds.”

Rhinos scored back-to-back tries at the start of the second period to level 12-12 before Hull even had the ball in hand.

Sneyd, 24, admitted: “That killed us. Absolutely killed us to be fair.

“Against Leeds you want to be in the grind as quick as you can coming out in the second half but they just rolled us and rolled us and rolled us.

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“Once they get on a roll it’s quite difficult to stop as it showed.”

Ex-England half-back Danny McGuire was to the fore, proving once more he is remains as dynamic at 32 as he did when scoring a crucial try in the club’s first Grand Final win back in 2004.

“He’s playing really good and is still as sharp as anything,” admitted an admiring Sneyd,

“I can’t see him retiring anytime soon.”

Hull have not won since the opening day at Huddersfield Giants and, this Friday, face another difficult fixture at a Wigan Warriors side who are smarting following a 42-14 loss at Castleford, a third successive defeat that their chief Shaun Wane described as the worst moment of his coaching career.

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But Sneyd, a £100,000 buy from Salford Red Devils ahead of 2015, said: “It’s just a case of us moving on and hoping we do what we did in the first 4o for a full 80.

“Once we do that we shouldn’t have any problems.”

Meanwhile, Hull’s Mickey Paea is in danger of missing the trip to Wigan after being charged with the Grade B offence of raising his knees in a tackle on Leeds’ Jamie Jones-Buchanan in the fifth minute of last week’s game.

He will appear before an independent RFL Operational Rules Tribunal on Tuesday after being charged by the match review panel today.