ROHAN URGES RHINOS TO GET GOING

ROHAN SMITH accepts his Leeds side “need to get better quickly” ahead of Thursday’s derby at rivals Castleford.

The Rhinos were dumped out of the Challenge Cup last Friday after St Helens won at Headingley for the second week running.

After falling at the first hurdle in the Challenge Cup for the fourth year in a row, many Leeds fans now fear another season of failure.

A lavish close-season recruitment drive, including the signing of former Man of Steel Brodie Croft, was supposed to make the Rhinos serious challengers again.

But their campaign is in danger of falling flat and this week’s trip to the Tigers has taken on added importance.

Smith, who failed to make the play-offs last season, said: “We’re a work in progress as a team unit and we need to get better quickly.

“We haven’t played at the level we know we can, but we’ve competed really well and been right in the picture against strong opposition. There has been a lot more to like than dislike this year.”

New Aussie playmaker Matt Frawley (inset) came in for fierce criticism for his performance last week but Smith (left) confirmed he will keep his place ahead of Jack Sinfield.

Meanwhile, St Helens star James Bell will miss the Good Friday derby with Wigan after receiving a one-match ban for dangerous contact at Headingley last week. ■HOLDERS Leigh have been handed a Challenge Cup quarter-final away to Hull KR in a rerun of last year’s final. Wigan, winners of the competition a record 20 times, must travel to early-season Super League strugglers Castleford. Challenge Cup quarter-final draw: St Helens v Warrington, Hull KR v Leigh Leopards, Catalans v Huddersfield, Castleford v Wigan – ties to be played on the weekend of April 13-14.