Jones-Buchanan has good cause to place faith in young Rhinos

He made his Leeds Rhinos debut aged just 17 and, with every full-blooded display, you sense he still feels it necessary to repay them for the honour 14 years on.

The workaholic second-row is one of a golden generation of players that emerged from the club’s revered Academy to underpin the dazzling acquisition of silverware, including six Super League Grand Final victories.

As reigning champions, though, Leeds are currently embroiled in an uncharacteristic run whereby they are desperately hoping to avoid a fifth successive loss when they host lowly Castleford Tigers this evening.

Such a sorry sequence has only happened to them twice before during the summer era, in 2006 and 10 years previous to that during a wretched inaugural Super League campaign which only found light at its conclusion and the timely arrival of visionary new owners Paul Caddick and Gary Hetherington.

Given Leeds have a plethora of injured players tonight and include untried 18-year-old centre Thomas Minns as well as fellow teenager Liam Sutcliffe, who only made his debut less than three weeks ago, you could imagine how outsiders may fear there is no light at the end of this season’s tunnel.

Former student player Jimmy Keinhorst, 22, has also been recalled from his loan spell at Hunslet Hawks, but Jones-Buchanan, one of the game’s most positive individuals, clearly sees things differently and with good reason.

“Tribulations and adversity are all part of any team’s success, including ours,” the 31-year-old told the Yorkshire Post.

“We’ve been through spells like this before and come through them and that has strengthened us for times like now.

“Even though it has been tough we’re not massively away from where we need to be; there isn’t that much wrong.

“We’ve had a few injuries, but it all has to be kept in perspective and one of the positives is that youngsters like Liam Sutcliffe, Thomas Minns, Jordan Baldwinson and Brad Singleton – the guys who are going to be the next generation of Leeds Rhinos – are all going to get valuable experience.”

Jones-Buchanan, who made his 300th Leeds appearance in the loss at Hull FC a week ago and is included in England’s squad for the International Origin against the Exiles, always has the future of the sport and inspiring youngsters close to his heart.

Heavily involved with Leeds Rugby Foundation, the club’s charity that delivers projects deep into the community in which he grew up, the forward is regularly seen delivering training sessions and workshops in his spare time.

“There is a lot of funding for junior rugby league that has been cut since last year and there’s been a lot of jobs that have gone,” he explained.

“But people at Leeds Foundation are not only continuing to increase it but making it better. Companies like PIMS Ltd helping out and carrying it around the city is a massive plus. We need these sorts of people to get involved and make it sustainable.

“For someone like me who has been invited to be a trustee of the Leeds Foundation, I see first-hand what is going on.

“It’s very humbling and a real privilege to be able to give something back.

“When you think of the success of this club over the last decade, so much investment has gone into youth; myself, Rob (Burrow), Kev (Sinfield), Maggsy (Danny McGuire) and so many others have benefited hugely.

“It’s brilliant to be able to give something back and, for a kid’s life where things might not be that great at home, rugby is a real release.”

Tonight, though, sees him fully focused on securing those two points and the crucial fixture sees him up against a familiar face.

When Jones-Buchanan first pulled on the blue and amber jersey it was against Wakefield in 1999, just six days after Leeds had famously ended their Challenge Cup drought with victory over London Broncos at Wembley.

Alongside him was Daryl Powell, the steadying 33-year-old Great Britain veteran who so beautifully complemented Iestyn Harris’s youthful flair.

“I played with him for a little while,” smiles Jones-Buchanan, about his former colleague and coach at Headingley who is now in charge at Castleford after a 10-year hiatus from Super League.

“I do remember being on the bench a couple of times when Daryl was playing.

“He was a very tough player as a half-back, as tough as you are going to get and real old school.

“He took a whole lot of experience and knowledge into coaching and did a fantastic job for us when he first started back in 2001 through to 2003.

“He then built a team at Featherstone and did great things with them on and off the pitch.

“I also had the privilege of being coached by Daryl again in the England ETS.

“He made his full commitment to Featherstone eventually, but it’s great to see him back in Super League now with Cas. Apart from this weekend, of course, when we go for this win.”

Under temporary coach Danny Orr, their West Yorkshire rivals pushed Leeds close on their last trip to Headingley, Rhinos needing McGuire – now one of their absentees with a broken leg – to pop up with two late tries to edge a 28-12 Challenge Cup win in April.

They did taste victory over Leeds at Wheldon Road near the start of the season and Jones-Buchanan admitted: “It’s a massive fixture for Cas players taking on Leeds – we always know that.

“They have beaten us once already this year and put up a real fight, too, in that Challenge Cup game where they took it to us for 70 minutes before we finally got over them.

“The fact we’ve lost four in a row will only encourage them further; Cas will be smelling blood in the water.”