Leeds Rhinos 'right place for me' says Jack Sinfield as he reveals long-term plan and game time ambition

Like thousands of other teenagers, Sinfield is anxiously awaiting his A-level exam results on Thursday.

And three days later he hopes to be included in Rhinos’ 17 for the second successive match when they take on Warrington Wolves in a crucial Betfred Super League showdown at Headingley.

The end of his studies, for the moment, means Sinfield will be free to concentrate on rugby and his aim is to gain more game time and experience after a disrupted 2023 campaign.

“I don’t really know what to expect,” Sinfield said of his exam results. “I don’t know how I’ve done so I’m pretty nervous for them, but hopefully they’ll be all right and I can just focus on my rugby then.”

Sinfield plans to put rugby first after deciding against going straight to university following his A-levels. He confirmed: “I think I am going to go in the future, but not straight away. Once I’ve got my results I can just focus on training.”

Sinfield was promoted into Rhinos’ full-time squad ahead of last season and played five senior games in 2022. He started against Salford Red Devils in May, but failed a head injury assessment during that game and had to wait until the visit of Leigh Leopards two weeks ago for his second appearance this term.

“I hadn’t played for a while so it was good to get back with the lads,” he said of his recall to the team, which came following Blake Austin’s sudden move to Castleford Tigers.

“I missed a big bit with my concussion and my exams so it was nice to get some more minutes and hopefully I can kick on now.”

Sinfield admitted this year “has been tough”, but noted: “I have been playing a lot in the academy and the reserves so I’ve been getting the minutes there.

“As long as I can keep playing, I can keep improving and getting better. As long as I am still able to learn in training, that’s the main thing.”

Austin’s exit left Aidan Sezer as the only experienced specialist half in Rhinos’ first team squad. Full-back Richie Myler, who would have been an option, is on the long-term casualty list, so Corey Johnson, a hooker, played at stand-off in the loss to Leigh.

Second-rower Morgan Gannon, who could feature at number six, is close to returning from injury, but there could be an opening for Sinfield over the final six games of the regular campaign.

He said. “Obviously it was a bit unexpected, Blake leaving, but hopefully I can get some more minutes now.

“Every bit of experience while I am young is going to help me learn and help me improve, so the more minutes I can get, the better it is for me short-term and long-term.”

Rhinos’ management have taken a patient approach with Sinfield, who is highly-rated within the club. His first taste of top-flight rugby came earlier than expected, because of an injury crisis last year, but they have not tried to rush him and he reckons that is the right approach.

“Obviously I want to be playing,” he stated. “But at the same time, I understand it is a long-term process and Rohan [Smith, Rhinos’ coach] always talks to me about how I can improve and ways I can get better. That’s the main thing, l that I keep improving.”

Sinfield signed a new contract in June which will keep him at Leeds until the end of 2026 and he added: “To have that bit of security and know where I’ll be for the next few years is good.

“I get along really well with a lot of the lads and with Rohan and I think this is the right place for me to keep growing and keep learning so hopefully I can keep getting better and keep getting more experience.”

With no game last weekend, because of the Betfred Challenge Cup final, Rhinos have a more than two-week break between the Leigh disappointment and Sunday’s must-win clash against Warrington.

A fourth successive defeat would almost certainly end their top-six hopes and Sinfield insisted: “It is a big game in terms of our season.,

“Obviously we have got to kick on now to get into the play-offs. Hopefully I will be part of that game and we can come up with the result.”