Two in particular: Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith picks pre-season stand-outs ahead of Bradford Bulls derby

Second-rower Leon Ruan, 19 and 20-year-old three-quarter Luis Roberts will both start in the home pre-season derby against Bradford Bulls.

Ruan, a former Wakefield Trinity academy player, spent last season at Betfred League One club Doncaster and also had a spell training with Rhinos.

He is is set for his third appearance of pre-season and Smith enthused: “Leon has come a long way in six months of being with us.

“He is accelerating at a good steady rate. He’s not ready to play Super League yet, but he is progressing nicely.”

Roberts played twice in Super League for Salford Red Devils three years ago. He then had a spell at Swinton Lions before joining Leigh, but spent much of last year on loan with Widnes Vikings.

The Welsh international is set to play on the right-wing tomorrow, having started the previous game at centre when he marked his first Leeds appearance with a well-taken try and some solid defence.

“Luis has impressed me as a person and a player. It is early days for him and he is only a young man,” Smith said.

“Those two particularly, of the new young players, have done really well. I think they will add to our depth this year as time goes.”

Rhinos will go into Sunday’s game chasing their first pre-season win, following defeats by Wakefield on Boxing Day and at Leigh Leopards last Saturday.

Of what he wants from his side this week, Smith - who coached Bradford in 2017 - said: “I am more looking at it on an individual basis, players getting prepared and showing us what they are capable of.

“Some of the guys at the bottom end of the squad are getting a big opportunity to stake a claim and show us what they’ve got.”

Bulls are Rhinos’ dual-registration partner club and of facing his former side, Smith said: “It’s nice, I have got some history with the club myself and I wish them well this season and hope they can have a positive year. Hopefully this friendly can get them in a good position to start the season well.”

Rhinos’ 21-man squad includes a mixture of first team regulars, fringe players and academy graduates.

Blake Austin, Aidan Sezer, Kruise Leeming, Zane Tetevano and Justin Sangare won’t feature after playing last week and David Fusitu’a, who missed the defeat at Leigh through illness, also misses out.

Smith said: “There’s no new injuries, we are just sharing the load and getting as many people ready for the season as we can.”

Back-rower Morgan Gannon will start at stand-off – alongside Richie Myler – and Rhyse Martin and Cameron Smith come in for their first pre-season game.

Rookies Oli Field, Joe Gibbons, Alfie Edgell and Tom Nicholason-Watton, who is not a member of Rhinos’ full-time squad, are on the bench.

Leeds Rhinos: Handley, Roberts, Martin, Olpherts, Tindall, Gannon, Myler, Lisone, O’Connor, Walters, McDonnell, Ruan, Smith. Subs Holroyd, Donaldson, Sinfield, Edwards, Field, Gibbons, Edgell, Nicholson-Watton.

Referee: James Vella (Australia).

Kick-off: Sunday, 2.30pm.