Leeds Rhinos opt for ‘new direction’ as Dave Furner is sacked

Leeds Rhinos are searching for a new head coach for the second time in less than a year after Dave Furner was sacked yesterday.

The decision last July to part company with Brian McDermott, after seven and a half trophy-ladened seasons, came as a surprise, but Furner’s exit was even more unexpected.

Though Leeds are third from bottom in the table and have won only four of 14 league games this year, Furner was just six months into a three-year contract.

No replacement has been identified and Richard Agar, the former Hull and Wakefield Trinity coach, has taken over on an interim basis.

Rhinos are known as a patient club built on stability throughout the organisation, but director of rugby Kevin Sinfield insisted action was needed to get the eight-time Super League champions back on “the right path” before it was too late.

“In situations like this honesty is key and being truthful and I just thought we were on the wrong path both on and off the field,” said Sinfield, who was a team-mate of Furner for Leeds in 2003 and 2004.

“My job is to try and direct the rugby organisation and the rugby side of things and this is not what I envisaged or where I thought we’d be. I can either sit here and let it happen and unfold in front of my eyes and do nothing about it, or I can make a tough decision and try and fix some things up.

“I think the easy choice was to let it continue, or we can try and fix it now.

“It has been horrible, more so for Dave, but we are not a four -wins-from-14 squad and we will, hopefully, get some better performances from the players by changing the direction of travel.”

Furner has past experience as coach of Canberra Raiders and has been an assistant in Australia’s NRL and at Test level.

He was appointed by Sinfield and the ex-Leeds captain conceded he does feel responsible for what has happened.

He said: “Of course I do, you draw up a list of categories where you’d like someone to tick each box and Dave certainly did that.

“He has played here, he lived in the UK for four years, he knew our game and knew what Super League was about.

“He has been a head coach before and an assistant. He was desperate to be a head coach again.

“He had all the credentials and I know him – I know him pretty well and we have had a long-standing friendship.

“It makes it tough because when you analyse it like that you wonder how we’ve ended up where we have.

“It is tough for all of us involved, but I think we have to pull together as a club.

“We need to get some stability back and we need to try and drive us forward again.”

According to Sinfield, Furner’s sacking was not a reaction to last Friday’s 28-16 loss at Salford Red Devils, but the director of rugby stressed: “I can cope with being four from 14 if I feel we are moving in the right direction and things are improving. Sadly I didn’t see that.”

Agar will be in charge for this weekend’s Coral Challenge Cup derby at Bradford Bulls and Sinfield said no long-term replacement for Furner has been identified.

Having joined Leeds in a non-coaching role in the off-season, Agar stepped in as temporary assistant to Furner when James Lowes left the club last month.

He has said he is not interested in a permanent return to coaching and on where Leeds go next, Sinfield said: “We will see, we will take our time.

“There will be some small changes in and around what we do and we will try and get ourselves back on a course I think is befitting of the club.

“The players have a huge part to play in that, as do all the staff and myself. I have every confidence in Richard, he is a proven Super League coach, he has done it on the international stage with France and I am fully behind him.

“The staff are right behind him, the players’ reaction this [yesterday] morning was very good and we look forward to Saturday because ultimately that’s where we’re going to get judged, by what we do on the field.

“It’s really important we go out and perform well.”