'Tough as teak' - Leeds Rhinos boss has high hopes for teenage forward Jarrod O'Connor

O’Connor, 19, joined Rhinos from Widnes Vikings at the start of the 2019 season, along with another young forward Sam Walters.

The son of former Wigan and Great Britain prop and now Sky TV pundit, Terry O’Connor, he has forced his way ahead of Walters in the race to become Leeds’ next debutant and was included in the initial 21-man squad for the postponed Headingley derby against Wakefield Trinity two days ago.

O’Connor played junior rugby as a scrum-half before moving into the pack, at loose-forward.

He was called into Rhinos’ senior squad ahead of the 2020 campaign and impressed in pre-season as well as during training since the end of lockdown.

Agar did not name a final 17 for the Wakefield game, but O’Connor was set to play against Catalans in Perpignan on Monday before that was also called off.

“We have every confidence if we need to play him,” Agar said of O’Connor, who made two appearances for Featherstone Rovers in the Betfred Championship earlier this year.

“He is absolutely flying in training, doing everything right - he is a super young professional.”

At 5ft 9 and less than 14 stone, O’Connor is small by the standard of modern forwards, but Agar is confident that will not hold him back.

He admitted: “You could look at him and think he is a bit under-sized for a middle, but Melbourne Storm have played with under-sized loose-forwards for 15 years.

“One thing we know about Jarrod, he is as tough as teak.

“He has a massive engine, he will always put the team first and he will give you every ounce of everything that he has got every time he steps over the stripe.”

Agar added: “We feel he has really improved in knowing his role and from a skills standpoint since he has been at the club.

“Physically he is in great nick and I don’t think any of his more experienced team-mates would have any dramas if he was alongside them.”

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