Key sees bright future for both Thomas and Ford

Ceiron Thomas returned from a month-long lay-off with a rib injury to orchestrate Leeds's victory in the Amlin European Challenge Cup against Rugby Parma on Saturday.

In his absence, 19-year-old Joe Ford has adapted quickly after graduating from the club's Academy system into a team fighting for Premiership survival.

Key, whose side host Bourgoin on Sunday in a match that will decide who progresses to the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup, said: "It's very exciting that the club has got two young, promising fly-halves.

"Ceiron is maturing very nicely. With him and Joe Ford we have got two young guys who are just kicking off their careers at the top level and it's helping both of them in their maturity.

"They are both developing into sound goalkickers and when you need to pile on the points in games you need to be able to rely on solid goalkickers, and that's what we've got.

"Ceiron's goalkicking, his kicking out of hand and his general play were very good on Saturday.

"As soon as we settled down in Parma, Ceiron took the game by the scruff of the neck.

"We went there determined to take the five points and he played a big part in helping us do that."

Leeds produced a professional performance in Italy to secure their third five-point win in the competition and edge ahead of Bourgoin on points-difference with one game to play.

"We were delighted to return with five points, especially when you consider Bourgoin tripped up there earlier on in the season," said director of rugby Key.

"We were very respectful of the fact that on their own patch there would be a lot of passion and a great atmosphere."

Key also paid tribute to hooker Rob Rawlinson who made his 200th appearance for a club he joined in 1999.

And he acknowledged the contribution of Joe Bedford, the scrum-half who was starting his first game since damaging ankle ligaments against Bourgoin in October.