Assistant coach Richard Agar has been placed in temporary charge
Tuesday 7 May 2019 10:19, UK
Leeds Rhinos have announced the sacking of head coach David Furner just six months after he succeeded Brian McDermott.
The Rhinos are two places off the bottom of the 12-team Betfred Super League, having lost 10 of their opening 14 games this season.
Assistant coach Richard Agar has been placed in temporary charge and will oversee Saturday's Challenge Cup meeting with Bradford Bulls.
Furner was just six months into a three-year contract after succeeding McDermott at the start of the season, but a defeat to Salford on Friday was the final straw for director of rugby Kevin Sinfield and chief exeutive Gary Hetherington.
"This was a very difficult decision and not one we have taken lightly," Sinfield, who met with Furner over the weekend, said.
"David was an outstanding candidate to be our head coach and was my first choice for the job.
"Unfortunately, we have not started the season as we had all hoped and action was needed to move in a fresh direction with this group of players this season."
The club insist they are in no rush to appoint a permanent replacement, partly thanks to Agar's "experience".
The former Hull FC and Wakefield Trinity boss spent 2018 in the NRL on the backroom staff of St George Illawarra.
