Featherstone Rovers boss Ryan Carr joins Leeds Rhinos as part-time assistant-coach

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He will combine the Leeds role with his commitments at Featherstone who are Rhinos’ dual-registration partner club.

Carr, 30, joined Rovers in January from New South Wales Cup side Mounties in his native Australia and has also had spells in the academies at NRL clubs Cronulla Sharks and South Sydney.

After a difficult start Carr has steered Rovers into fifth place in the Betfred Championship and they have won seven of their last eight matches.

Rhinos have nine games left to pull away from relegation danger in Super League, beginning with a derby at Castleford Tigers on Friday.

Eleven current Rhinos players have played under Carr at Featherstone this season and they have brought back positive reports on the work he is doing there. Rhinos have been without an experienced assistant-coach since James Lowes left the club in April.

Agar, initially employed in a non-coaching role, stepped up as assistant to Dave Furner and then into the hot seat when he was sacked two months ago.

With no decision yet made on made on a head coach for 2020 Agar said the best option was to bring in a temporary assistant and then let the new boss pick his own man when appointed.

Agar said: “We have been a coach down, there was only Chev [Walker] and me and Ryan will be an extra pair of eyes and ears and hands for us on the training field.

“It was important the schedule allowed this to happen and because most of our games are Friday, our big days and Monday and Tuesday.

“Those are his quiet days and they are part-time so they train in an evening.”

Agar added: “It strengthens our link with Featherstone.

“All our players who have worked with Ryan speak very highly of him and I am confident he will be able to deliver what we want.

“It will not impinge on his duties with Featherstone and, if anything, he will get more one-on-one time with some of the guys who are playing for them on a weekend.”

Carr described Leeds as “one of the biggest clubs in the world of rugby league.” He said: “To work in an organisation like that, with the staff they have got and everything they can provide, is exciting.”

Carr stressed: “We are in most nights with my boys, they [Leeds] play a lot of Friday and we play Sundays. The schedules marry up and if there’s any clash my role with Fev comes first.”

Rhinos have also strengthened their rugby staff with the appointment of the England team’s lead doctor Marwan Al-Dawoud as the club’s new head of medical services

The sport and exercise medicine physician has worked at the top level of elite sport – including Super League, Premiership rugby union, Premier League Football, UK Athletics and Northern Ballet – since 2007.

Rhinos director of rugby Kevin Sinfield said: “We are delighted to be working with Dr Marwan Al-Dawoud and he has already made an impact on how we operate our medical programme at the club. He was the stand out candidate for the role and has experience of working with elite players and the pressures of professional sport.”

“He is a key addition to our backroom team moving forward.”