'Nice to know he's got confidence in you': Leeds Rhinos' Liam Tindall aims for semi-final spot

The 21-year-old made his 12th appearance of the season- and his 11th start - for Rhinos in last Friday’s elimination play-off at Catalans Dragons.

Tindall was picked just once, as a substitute, for Leeds in 2021 and ended the year on loan at Doncaster, featuring in their promotion final loss to Workington Town.

With Ash Handley and David Fusitu’a both injured, Tindall was on the left-wing in the 20-10 win in Perpignan and could retain his place for Friday’s semi-final at Wigan Warriors.

He said: “League One play-offs to Super League play-offs, it’s a different scenario, but I am really glad I got the opportunity and hopefully I’ll be in the team this week.”

Tindall came through Rhinos’ youth system and made his debut, at home to Catalans, in 2020.

After the disappointment of last season, he is grateful to coach Rohan Smith for having the faith to give him a chance in a crucial game last week, rather than moving other people out of position.

“Being a young player, it’s nice to know he has got confidence in you to go out and do a good job, especially in such a big game,” Tindall stressed.

“Every game, every minute, you are learning. It’s about going back and reviewing games and looking at what you did wrong, what you did well, going off the back of that and taking it into the next game.

“It is good I am starting to get a bit more regular game time, instead of it being a case of no matter what I do I am out next week.

“It is nice knowing if I impress I have got a chance of playing in the next game.”

Tindall is at a club with two outstanding wingers, which is a double-edged sword.

He is learning off some of the best at training, but has to wait until they are unavailable for a chance to show what he can do on game day.

“They are two world-class wingers,” he said. “Ash is, in my eyes, an England winger and Fus is also world-class.

“It is hard to get in past them, but I just want to be the first one there if they are out. It is a great incentive, you know when you do play you are here to do a job - you’re not just a passenger, you have to go out and make a difference.”

Tindall played in Leeds’ 34-12 defeat at Wigan in February, but being selected for this week would be an entirely new experience.

Recalling the match in Perpignan, he admitted: “Before the game I was saying to myself it’s probably the biggest game of my career.

“I just had to go out there with the mindset it was going to be the last game of the season for me and the biggest so I had to go out there and give it everything.”

A strong carry from behind his own line began the build up to the first of Leeds’ three tries, all scored by centre Liam Sutcliffe.

Tindall revealed: “They are my favourite sort of carries, when it’s a bit disrupted, everyone’s stood still and there’s a bit of disjointed defence. That is my sort of game.”

Tindall is playing for his home city club, having joined Rhinos from the East Leeds community club.

They have had an outstanding season at open-age level, winning the National Conference Division Three title and having Andy Djeukessi-Djeukam selected for the England side which won the European Under-19s Championship in Italy last weekend.

“It is good seeing young lads coming up through the scholarship from East Leeds,” Tindall said.

“Seeing young rugby lads in that area doing well is good.”