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Kevin Sinfield to swap codes and end career with Yorkshire Carnegie Leeds’ Kevin Sinfield to swap codes and end career with Yorkshire Carnegie
(about 1 hour later)
Kevin Sinfield is to swap codes and swap Leeds sides after the Rhinos announced he would leave the rugby league club at the end of the 2015 season to finish his career with Yorkshire Carnegie. Kevin Sinfield admits calling time on his rugby league career was the toughest decision he has made but says the prospect of testing himself in rugby union was a challenge he simply could not ignore.
Sinfield, 34, the Rhinos’ all-time leading goal and points scorer, has agreed an 18-month contract with the rugby union club. After a 19-year association with Leeds Rhinos, Sinfield will instead end his career in the 15-man code with second-tier side Yorkshire Carnegie, after the Rhinos announced he would take up an 18-month deal with their sister club at the end of the rugby league season.
He led the Rhinos to six titles having been made captain in 2003 when he was just 22. He has made 26 appearances for England, including captaining his country at the 2013 World Cup, and has made a further 14 appearances for Great Britain. The 34-year-old is the most successful captain in Leeds’ history and is also the club’s all-time top points scorer. It seemed certain Sinfield would end his career with the Rhinos but instead he will finish his illustrious career by swapping codes.
Sinfield told the Rhinos’ website: “This was one of the toughest decisions of my career but I know the time is right for me to finish my time in rugby league and embark on a new challenge with Yorkshire Carnegie. “I never thought I’d get the chance to do this and it’s a challenge that really excites me,” said Sinfield, a former England captain. “It’s been a tough decision and telling the players this morning that I was going to leave was very tough indeed.
“I never wanted to play against the Rhinos and throughout my career I have always had an admiration for rugby union and wanted to challenge myself in that code. I am fortunate as a professional player in this era that opportunities like this exist for me and it is something I want to grab with both hands. “It seems the logical decision moving forward as I don’t have to uproot my family. I didn’t want to finish my career, look back and have any regrets and when this opportunity came up, I knew it was the right thing to do.”
“Yorkshire Carnegie have set out ambitious plans to gain promotion from the Championship next season and regain their place in the Premiership and that is something that excites me. For now, though, Sinfield insists his focus is on bringing down the curtain on his time with the Rhinos by achieving yet more success and adding to the 12 trophies he has captained the club to since being given that role in 2003. “This had to end at some stage but it doesn’t end yet. There are still seven months of the season left and I’m very committed, as always, to do my very best with this wonderful club.
“My entire adult life has been spent at Leeds Rhinos and I am extremely grateful for all the support I have had over the past two decades. My goal now is to do whatever I can to make sure we have further success this year and finish the season and my Rhinos career on the best possible note.” “I’ll be giving Leeds Rhinos everything I’ve got in the seven months that are ahead of me and my focus is on getting back fit, fighting for my spot and hopefully we can add to the history we’ve created over the last 10 years.”
The Leeds Rhinos chief executive, Gary Hetherington, added: “If any player in the history of our club deserves the right to choose when he moves on to the next stage of his career it is Kevin Sinfield. Meanwhile, the Rhinos’ chief executive, Gary Hetherington, has confirmed that an outcome into the club’s internal investigation over an off-field incident involving the full-back Zak Hardaker is expected in the next week.
“He has been an inspirational leader on and off the field over the last decade and I think there can be little argument that the success we have enjoyed would not have been possible without him. Hardaker and his Leeds team-mate Elliot Minchella were released without charge by police earlier this month after an assault incident in the city but each agreed to pay £200 compensation to the victim after admitting the assault – before the Rhinos announced they would conduct their own internal enquiries.
“Kevin was contracted for next season with the club and had always insisted that his Rhinos career would not go beyond that point. The fact that date has been brought forward 12 months may be a shock to some but we are happy to agree to his wishes and allow him to set a new challenge for himself with Yorkshire Carnegie.” “The investigation has taken longer than we’d hoped but it will be concluded in the next seven days and the outcome will be made public,” Hetherington said. “We’ve got very stringent codes of conduct at this club and when anyone falls foul of that it’s a huge disappointment for all concerned.”
The Yorkshire Carnegie executive president, Sir Ian McGeechan, said: “I have admired Kevin Sinfield as both a player and an individual for many years. His professionalism, attitude and commitment are top class. I am sure he will be a great addition to our squad for next season and his goalkicking record speaks for itself.
“The signing of Kevin Sinfield and the recent appointment of Bryan Redpath as head coach are clear indications of the ambition of our new management and owners. We look forward to having Kevin on board from November for our challenge to regain our place in the Premiership.”