Tom Briscoe interview: Leeds Rhinos star reflects on his career, best moments and what could be next ahead of testimonial game against Hull FC

Rhinos take on Hull at Headingley tomorrow in Briscoe’s testimonial game, awarded for services to the sport.

The 31-year-old is the second-longest serving member of Rhinos’ squad, behind Liam Sutcliffe, having made his debut in the first game of the 2014 campaign.

He has been a Super League player since 2008, when he made his first appearance for Hull.

His 191 appearances for Leeds include three Challenge Cup wins - scoring tries in all of them, including a record five at Wembley in 2015 - and two Grand Final victories, bagging a brace five years ago.

He was a member of the treble-winning side of 2015, touching down for a crucial score in the final game of the regular season, against Huddersfield Giants.

“If I could sum it up in one word, it would be ‘successful’,” Briscoe said of his eight seasons at Rhinos so far.

“I came to Leeds to win things and to be part of that and I managed to do that straight away, with the Challenge Cup in my first season and the treble in my second.

“I couldn’t have asked for any more from my move to Leeds.”

Briscoe hit the big time as an 18-year-old and stressed: “This is the last year of my contract and I feel good this pre-season.

“I think I’ll just take it year-by-year, see what my body feels like, but at the minute I can see myself going for a few more years yet.”

A winger for most of his career, he switched positions last year and added: “I’d like to think I am a centre now.”

Briscoe confirmed: “I’ve practiced all pre-season at centre, just trying to build up that part of my game and getting used to the little subtleties and, defensive-wise, different roles within the team.

“I’m glad I’ve had the full pre-season there, it is going to put me in a better position to challenge for that centre spot come the season.”

Briscoe didn’t have to think long when asked to pick a highlight from his time as a Rhino.

“It has to be the 2015 season,” he said. “Winning the treble and getting the five tries at Wembley.

“That’s hard to beat, but when we beat Cas as well in the [2017] Grand Final, after they’d hammered us all year - that’s another special one.

“There’s little games here and there, but they are the two that obviously stick out.”

Briscoe has scored 91 tries for Leeds and of his favourite, he said: “I liked one I scored against Warrington at Headingley [in 2014], when I broke free through the middle.

“That was my favourite try I’ve scored, but my favourite memory of one was the fifth at Wembley; I went over and everyone just piled on.

“That will be a memory that sticks with me forever.”

Briscoe has managed to combine rugby with studies at Leeds Beckett University and a fledgling academic career.

He is exactly a year into studying for a PhD and said: “That’s going really well.

“I’ve started to make a bit of headway on that. It’s on sports performance and I’d like to think in some capacity I will stay in the game [after retiring as a player].

“Long-term, I’d like to get into lecturing at the uni and try my hand at that and doing a bit of research there, but I have been in rugby a long time and it would be nice to stay with what I know.”

As well as being Briscoe’s testimonial, tomorrow’s game is a vital part of Rhinos’ preparation for the visit of Warrington Wolves in Super League round one, 13 days later.

“It’s our one big hit-out of pre-season so it’ll be good to see where we’re at,” Briscoe said.

“Hull is always a tough game so it’ll be a really good test. They are a big, physical side and with Galey [ex-Rhinos skipper Luke Gale] coming back as captain, that makes it interesting.

“On a personal note, it is going to be special.

“When I spoke to Gary [Hetherington, Rhinos’ chief executive] I always said I wanted Hull and we managed to pull that off without any problems.”

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