Key signings sought by Edwards before start of season

The new Leeds head coach is targeting a scrum-half and a loosehead prop.

Following last season’s relegation from the Aviva Premiership, South African scrum-half Scott Mathie joined Sale Sharks, while former Wasps and Wales international Warren Fury also left the club.

The departures of the experienced duo has left only academy graduate scrum-halves Dan White and Craig Hampson in the ranks.

Edwards said: “We are still looking for a couple of positions at loose-head prop and scrum-half to provide a challenge for the players that we have got.

“We are going to have Dan White and Craig Hampson (at scrum-half) who are academy products and we are very happy with how they have performed so far.

“We recognise their development needs and are supporting them in that but equally by the nature of the position, we need three players so we are actively looking for the right person who can challenge them and support them to bring them on.

“In the short term, they are the two signings we are looking for. If we got those two players before the start of the season I would be happy where we are at going into the season.”

Despite the youthful look to their backline, Edwards says there are not necessarily any plans to bring in an experienced head at No 9 to direct the youngsters.

“In my role with the Under-20s (at the Junior World Championships), I have seen that age isn’t necessarily a limiting factor,” said Edwards, who plans to build a youthful team to attempt to return to the top flight.

“The maturity shown by some of our young players in training over the last three weeks demonstrates that they have leadership qualities, they are prepared to demand standards, they are prepared to organise senior players.

“So age is definitely not a limiting factor for us.”

Edwards succeeded Neil Back on a three-year contract and began work last week after guiding the England Under-20s to the final of the Junior World Championship.

Leeds have already signed five players – Dan Hemingway, Joe Ford, David Young, Ryan Burrows and Stephen McColl – all of whom have signed two-year contracts.

He said: “Our recruitment policy is about developing players who are young, enthusiastic, talented and who have the potential. I am very happy with the recruitment we have made.”

n Jason Robinson has officially announced his retirement from all forms of the game after calling time on his career with Fylde in National League Two. The Leeds-born 36-year-old won the World Cup with England back in 2003 and enjoyed a glittering career in both codes of the game.

He came out of retirement in 2010 to take up a contract playing with Fylde, coached by former England head coach Brian Ashton.

A dual-code international, he will be remembered as one of the greatest players of his generation.

He played in two World Cups for England, and scored the only try as England beat Australia in the 2003 final.