Hull KR boss Tony Smith insists focus still on the job at hand in East Hull after Challenge Cup win over Leigh despite strong Leeds links

Hull Kingston Rovers boss Tony Smith says his full focus is still at Sewell Group Craven Park, where his current side beat Leigh Centurions to progress into the Challenge Cup quarter-finals, despite increasingly strong links to the vacant Leeds Rhinos job.

Throughout the week leading up to the round six cup tie at home to Championship side Leigh, speculation has continued to rumble around a potential return to Emerald Headingley for the Australian.

And despite KR only scraping past the Centurions with a 24-18 win, the vast majority of the talk in Smith’s post-match press conference was about that potential move across Yorkshire, with the Rovers head coach refusing to confirm or deny it will happen.

He said: “I’ve no reaction to it [the speculation]. I’m the coach here [KR] and I’m focused on coaching here. It’s your job [the media]to speculate, not mine. Mine is to prepare my team and get them ready for each game.

“I don’t owe anybody or have to please my supporters by telling them what I’m doing next year at the moment. I’m at ease not knowing what my future is. That’ll work itself out.

“I don’t like it being insinuated that it’s having an effect on us, it’s not. I’m happy for all of that to pan itself out however it’ll work out. I’m never going to discuss that publicly until I do so privately, and that’s usually with my boss at home.

“I’ve spent zero time thinking about it this week and my thoughts have just been with a good friend in Richard Agar [Leeds’ departed head coach].”

The Rhinos fire was fuelled oncemore during the conference when KR were drawn in the last eight against either Leeds or Castleford Tigers, who at the time were still playing out their respective round six fixture.

As it turned out, it will be the Tigers who make the visit to East Hull in the next round after beating Leeds, but Smith’s response to the draw wasn’t a warm one.

“I don’t really care how we play and where it is. Wherever or whoever doesn’t really matter. We’ve got a couple of games before that, and we need to get ready for them.

“Our focus on the next round of the cup will come when it’s time.”

Of course, the Rovers boss did eventually review the win over Leigh, adding: “They’re a good team and put some pressure on us. We had to work hard to hold them out which takes its’ toll.

“We had to defend nearly the whole of the second half and that takes its’ toll too. Our effort was good, the outcome was good but there are bits in between that we’re certainly not going to be happy about.

“I’m pleased to be through overall.”

Providing that he’s still in position at Sewell Group Craven Park, Smith will take charge of KR’s home game against Warrington Wolves on Friday, April 4 kicking off at 7:45PM.

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