Hull KR’s Danny McGuire gracious in a swansong that leaves old club Leeds Rhinos in danger

HIS valedictory game against his former club was a personal triumph, but Danny McGuire handed all the credit for a crucial 32-16 win at Leeds Rhinos to his Hull KR team-mates.
Caption competition: Danny McGuire and Kevin Sinfield at full time after Leeds Rhinos lost to Hull KR. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)Caption competition: Danny McGuire and Kevin Sinfield at full time after Leeds Rhinos lost to Hull KR. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)
Caption competition: Danny McGuire and Kevin Sinfield at full time after Leeds Rhinos lost to Hull KR. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)
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McGuire, who will retire at the end of this season, was man of the match in his final appearance at Headingley, a stage he graced for 17 seasons as a Leeds player before joining Rovers in 2018.

Danny McGuire: Named man of the match in his final game at Headingley. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)Danny McGuire: Named man of the match in his final game at Headingley. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)
Danny McGuire: Named man of the match in his final game at Headingley. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson)

It was also his 400th Super League appearance, however he stressed: “Individual stuff is always nice, but you play because you want to be part of a team.

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“I have always enjoyed being part of a team and working hard for my mates, that’s the buzz I get. Milestones are probably something I will reflect on when I’ve finished playing, but it is nice to reach that number of games.”

Despite having helped drag Leeds back into the relegation dogfight, McGuire – an eight-time Grand Final winner during his Rhinos career – remains a hero to the Headingley faithful. Both sets of fans remained behind after the final whistle to cheer him from the field and he reflected: “Three or four years ago you’d never have got Rovers fans applauding me, but I love it here.

“It is a good club, good people all pulling in the right direction for the club to move forward. And the Leeds fans, I appreciate the support they have always given me. It was a really nice touch.”

McGuire may not be keen to play up his own part in Rovers’ victory, but conceded his farewell appearance on his old stomping ground could not have gone much better. He added: “I enjoyed it, the boys worked hard. It is a tough place to come and get a win, but I thought from one to 17 we were really good.

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“We were determined, there was a lot of effort and good attitude and when the pressure was on we turned up and played. There’s a lot of positives to take from it.”

The Robins remain 11th in the table, but are now two points ahead of London Broncos and only behind Leeds and Huddersfield Giants – their opponents this week – on for and against.

“To be able to perform under pressure takes a lot,” said McGuire. “We are a club and plays who need to learn how to play in pressure games and I think we are getting there.”