Latest Leeds Rhinos v London Broncos team news and 21-man squads as Rohan Smith says injuries not an excuse

Seven senior players are on the casualty list and another is rated as doubtful for Friday’s visit of Betfred Super League’s bottom-placed side. Smith’s 21-man squad includes five teenagers and seven players with fewer than a dozen first team appearances to their name.

Five serious injuries in the last three matches have forced a series of changes, particularly in the three-quarters and the coach admitted that “certainly has an impact”, but stressed he expects the youngsters who come in to play well. Teenage winger Riley Lumb scored two tries in a man of the match performance on debut at Hull FC last Sunday and Smith stated: “We are dealing with lots of interruptions and disruptions.

“We are trying to get some cohesion and some chemistry going, but when players are coming and going it does make that difficult. We want to improve and get the best performance we can, but also understand we are going to have a somewhat youthful team, which is exciting.

"It brings a different energy to things, but the expectations of a one- or two-game rookie are different to a 50 or 60 NRL game veteran. We expect our kids to come in and do a good job and overall, when they have stepped in they have done that so we are chasing a strong performance, there’s no doubt about that.”

London have scored only 14 tries in Super League this year and are averaging almost 39 points per match conceded, but Smith - who was on the Broncos’ coaching staff 20 years ago - insisted they have been a “very competitive team in many of their games”. He said: “They have worked hard as a team. They are inexperienced as far as Super League goes, but a lot of their guys are tough, hardened veterans. They are not going to beat themselves, we have got to take it to them and build into a good grind and a good flow and see where the game takes us.”

Winger Ash Handley is included in Rhinos’ 21 in place of Paul Momirovski - who suffered ankle damage last week - but remains in doubt with a rib injury. Prop Tom Nicholson-Watton, who was 18th man, half-back Jack Sinfield, centre Ned McCormack and second-row Ben Littlewood all retain their squad place after not being selected for the 18-12 win at MKM Stadium. Players remaining on Rhinos’ casualty list are prop Tom Holroyd and second-rowers James Bentley and Morgan Gannon because of concussion, along with David Fusitu’a (knee), centre Harry Newman (back) and prop James Donaldson (neck).

London coach Mike Eccles has named an unchanged squad, including the 17 players beaten 40-0 at Castleford Tigers last week plus Iliess Macani, Rob Butler, Ethan Natoli and Jack Hughes.

Leeds Rhinos: from Miller, Handley, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Martin, Smith, O'Connor, Lisone, McDonnell, Sangare, Goudemand, Sinfield, Ruan, Roberts, Edgell, Nicholson-Watton, McCormack, Littlewood, Lumb.

London Broncos: from Walker, Kershaw, Bassett, Miloudi, Macani, Meadows, Butler, Davis, Lovell, Natoli, Parata, Stock, Williams, Adebiyi, Kennedy, Leyland, Storey, Hughes, Jones, Makin, Tison.

Referee: Aaron Moore (Wigan).

Kick-off: Friday, 8pm.