Sinfield and Maguire urge battered Rhinos to fight another day

Leeds were looking to end a season which has seen them fail to reach their usual high standards in Super League with their first Challenge Cup win since 1999.

But Warrington had other ideas and rocked the Rhinos with a stonewall defence, which held up the ball three times over the line as Leeds searched for a try.

A shell-shocked Sinfield said: "I am gutted, disappointed and embarrassed. We didn't play like we could, but full credit to Warrington, they deserved it.

"It will take a couple of days for us to digest this, we weren't at the races and defensively we weren't good enough.

"Credit to Warrington I thought they were outstanding. I am disappointed more than anything. I probably didn't want to speak to you now for fear of saying the wrong thing, but in a couple of days I am sure it will be a lot better. We have put a lot into this competition and to come away feeling like we do is hard.

"We had great preparation for the game, but it's just how we played. When we crossed that line things just went wrong from minute one."

Sinfield dismissed the theory that after their recent Super League successes, Leeds were now obsessed with ending their long wait for Challenge Cup glory.

"I think it's you guys (the media) who have an obsession," he stressed. "We want to win it for the right reasons, but today we got beat by the better side. Hopefully, next year we will get back on the horse another time and give it another go."

Leeds now have to pick themselves up for Saturday's final regular game of the season against Hull FC, the winner clinching an all-important place in the top four in Super League.

Scrum-half Danny McGuire said it would now be a test of the Headingley club's mental strength to bounce back from their Wembley agony.

"There is still something for us to work for, we have won three on the bounce (Grand Finals) and we are going to have a big shot at going for number four," he said. "It's tough, when you work so hard for something, and come up a little short. It's hard to pick yourself up but we have no choice. We have a game against Hull which is pretty vital to our play-off hopes and we have a few bruised bodies and knocks.

"It's testing us as a squad but it's been like that all year. It's up to us to come through the other side.

"We are disappointed with this result, but we were beaten by the better side on the day and we must now pick ourselves up and come back from it this week with a decent performance."