Kruise Leeming: Gutted I can’t help Leeds Rhinos team-mates after suffering stress fracture

To say I was disappointed when I was told I’ve got a stress fracture in my foot would be an understatement.

Last week a young team went to Toulouse for an important game, which we needed to win and I automatically felt guilty I wasn’t able to affect the outcome or the scoreline.

It hurts not being involved and I am gutted I won’t be able to get back out on the field with the boys for the next few weeks.

My aim is to be back for the final few Super League rounds and all I can do at the moment is concentrate on getting myself right as quickly as I can, to help the team.

The only positive from last weekend was the young kids who came in and, again, did themselves proud in really tough conditions.

Obviously, lads like Jack Sinfield and Max Simpson aren’t getting their chance in the sort of circumstances we’d like.

You want to give young lads a go when they’ve earned their shot and the team’s going really well, rather than being forced into them playing because of injuries and suspensions.

Having said that, any experience – however they gain it – is good, so that was a silver lining to take from the game in France.

The result was disappointing, but we are still where we were this time last week, three points outside the play-offs.

We’ve got so much to play for and our aim hasn’t changed, we want to get a full team back and climb into that top six.

We need to get a result on Thursday and it is always a big game against Wigan, whatever the circumstances.

They are in good form and fair play to Bevan French for the seven tries he scored against Hull last week.

That is some effort, he has created history and any time somebody does something like that you have got to acknowledge it and give credit where it’s due.

But we have got things of our own to fix up and the beauty of a short turnaround is we have got a chance to get straight back on the horse.

There’d be no better way to bounce back from last week than by beating Wigan in front of our own fans.

If we do that it will feel fantastic and put us back on track to get into the top six.

Being back at Headingley, after two months and six fixtures on the road, is a good feeling.

It has been an up and down two months.

We’ve had some good performances and some not so good ones, but I think we are heading in the right direction and playing at home, in front of our fans, will give us a big lift at just the right time.

It’s another double-header, with our women’s side playing Wigan before we do.

Both games are on Sky and that’s good for the sport and a big opportunity to grow our fantastic product.

The Rhinos women play a really good brand of rugby league and they are in form after impressive wins over St Helens and Wigan so it’ll be well worth getting to Headingley in time to watch that, if you can.

I’d like to say good luck to them, I hope they do really well in that game and put on a good performance and then we can get on afterwards and do the same.

It was good to see the club announce Justin Sangare’s signing on Tuesday morning.

I’ve only played against him once this year, but I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen of him.

He’s a French international who has made a real impact for Toulouse.

A big, powerful middle, he’s still very young for a top-flight player in that position and definitely an exciting talent. I think he’ll be a good signing for us. He is difficult to deal with when he has the ball in his hand and at 24, he is only going to get better.

He is still learning the sport, but I think having Rohan Smith as his coach will be fantastic for him.

It’s a good opportunity for him to keep developing and gaining more experience at a club like Leeds Rhinos.

He’s a Toulouse player for the moment, but we’re looking forward to welcoming him when he joins us in pre-season.