Leeds Rhinos' Richard Agar happy after "nullifying" Hull KR in Cup

Leeds Rhinos' Kruise Leeming goes in for his second try (PIC: JONATHAN GAWTHORPE)

Leeds were 30-0 up at half-time having stifled the Robins and proved ruthless with the ball.

Agar said: “They are tricky opponents as we’ve seen in the last two or three games.

“But for 60 minutes our application nullifying their attack was very, very good.

“ The talk, the organisation and effort on their offloads was great and we were really alive to their kicking game.

“We did a really really good, concentrated job on that which was important.

“It got a little bit untidy around the sin-binning and we lost an interchange when we took Ash Handley off as a precaution with a hamstring.

“But we were quite clinical with the chances we got and there was some good stuff in there.”

Hooker Kruise Leeming (2), Harry Newman, Handley, Tom Briscoe, Luke Briscoe, Ava Seumanufagai all scored tries as did Rhyse Martin who also added eight goals.

After a third successive win, asked if it gives him confidence Leeds can challenge on both fronts, Agar replied: “We’ve still a way to go to do that on a consistent basis looking at the benchmark teams.

“But I like to think we’re going in the right direction.

“We’ve got a level to step up to if we want to pick trophies up but I feel we are on that journey.

“I hate the word rebuild but I feel we’re striving towards that and I know as a coach I’ve got some time to compete at that level.”

Hull KR coach Tony Smith was “disappointed” but credited Leeds.

"We took too long to get off that bus,” he said.

“They did a good job, they started quickly, effectively and efficiently and we didn't react.

“That wasn't us tonight. There was a bit of a reaction in the second half but it took us way too long to get into that match.

“At 30-0 we could have thrown the towel in but didn't and it ended up 18-18 in the second half."

Meanwhile, Smith said the former Bradford Bulls duo of second-row Matty Storton and winger Ethan Ryan have both suffered suspected broken hands and he expects plenty of changes when the sides meet again in Super League next Thursday.