Leeds pile pressure on Cullen

A 42-26 engage Super League defeat at the hands of Leeds amped up the pressure on Warrington coach Paul Cullen but despite edging ever closer to the relegation zone, he refused to be downcast.

Cullen's position has been questioned in recent weeks and seven Rhinos tries at Headingley Carnegie will have done little to ease the Wolves boss' position.

But Cullen said: ``We'll take an awful lot of positives about the way we set about our business into the St Helens game next weekend. The performances are getting better, the results are going to come and I'm thoroughly enjoying everything that we do."

This was Warrington's seventh defeat in eight engage Super League encounters and with his contract up at the end of the season and no new deal in place, the coach is walking a fine line.

But Cullen, whose side face a daunting Challenge Cup quarter-final tie against St Helens next weekend, was encouraged by the performance at Headingley.

He added: ``It's a challenge, it's exciting and it's been a great week's work in getting the team prepared to produce a performance of that standard.''

Indeed, Warrington produced a spirited display which included a hat-trick from wing Henry Fa'afili but their defensive frailties were again brutally exposed by the rampant Rhinos.

Brent Webb and Keith Senior both crossed the line twice and Ian Kirke, Clinton Toopi and Danny McGuire also touched down.

Rhinos skipper Kevin Sinfield converted all seven tries, yet Warrington refused to surrender - opening and closing the scoring.

Fa'afili's treble was added to by two well-taken tries from 19-year-old academy product Kevin Penny, who showed considerable promise down the left flank.