Leeds Rhinos appoint former GB half-back Sean Long to next season’s coaching roster

Former Great Britain scrum-half Sean Long will join Leeds Rhinos’ backroom staff next season as an assistant to coach Richard Agar.
Former St Helens and Great Britain half-back Sean Long will joins Leeds Rhinos' coaching team next season. Picture: Vaughn Ridley/SWPIX.Former St Helens and Great Britain half-back Sean Long will joins Leeds Rhinos' coaching team next season. Picture: Vaughn Ridley/SWPIX.
Former St Helens and Great Britain half-back Sean Long will joins Leeds Rhinos' coaching team next season. Picture: Vaughn Ridley/SWPIX.

Long worked in similar roles at Salford Red Devils and St Helens before a recent stint in rugby union with Harlequins.

The 44-year-old will replace James Webster, who has combined his role as head coach at Featherstone Rovers with assisting Agar, but will not be allowed to work with two different clubs in 2021 due to coronavirus protocols.

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Long, who was football manager at Featherstone in 2013 and played under Agar at Hull, had a stint working with Rhinos in pre-season.

Leeds Rhinos head coach Richard Agar with current assistant James Webster. Picture: Phil Daly/Leeds Rhinos.Leeds Rhinos head coach Richard Agar with current assistant James Webster. Picture: Phil Daly/Leeds Rhinos.
Leeds Rhinos head coach Richard Agar with current assistant James Webster. Picture: Phil Daly/Leeds Rhinos.

“I am looking forward to working with Richard Agar again after our time at Hull,” Long said.

“I have a massive amount of respect for Leeds as a club; they are one of biggest clubs in the world and as soon as I got the call from Kev [Sinfield, Rhinos’ director of rugby] and Rich, it was a no brainer to join the club.”

Long spent time with the Rhinos’ squad in pre-season and has maintained that link throughout the year.

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He explained: “I have kept in touch with Rich over the years; he is a good friend, and he asked me to come in and look at some of the structures he was implementing for this season.

Leeds Rhinos' director of rugby, Kevin Sinfield. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.Leeds Rhinos' director of rugby, Kevin Sinfield. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.
Leeds Rhinos' director of rugby, Kevin Sinfield. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe/JPIMedia.

“I tweaked a few things and the boys really took it on board. I love it, getting back on the field and coaching rugby league.

“I know all the boys and I really enjoyed it. I have been watching them throughout the season and how they have implemented those ideas and it has been good to see how Rich has stayed on top of it and the team have gone from strength to strength.”

He added: “I am looking forward to working with the half-backs at the Rhinos.

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“It is a massive part of what I do. As an ex-half-back, I want to pass on what I have learned to them and hopefully we can all get to a better place as a team.

“Game management, the kicking game and reading defences is something that excites me.

“Leeds have always had great young players coming through and I am looking forward to developing them, but also working with top-class talent like Luke Gale, Rob Lui and Richie Myler.”

Sinfield said: “We are very pleased to have agreed with Sean to join the club for next season.

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“Sean has a great relationship with Richard having played under him at Hull FC.

“He is also well known to our group of players.

“Last winter Sean regularly joined us in pre-season and gave valuable insight to the group and especially our half backs and it is great that we can now bring him in on a full-time basis.

“Because of the Covid protocols in place for next season, our current assistant coach James Webster is not allowed to be part of two club’s training environments so he will solely be at Featherstone Rovers as head coach and Sean is a direct replacement for James with Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Chev Walker [remaining] part of the first-team backroom team.

“James has been key to our success this season and he will leave with our best wishes and thanks at the end of the season.”

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Of Long, Sinfield added: “Sean is vastly experienced and, importantly, adds to our knowledge pool as a coaching team.

“In Jamie Jones-Buchanan we have one of the best up-and-coming thinkers on the defensive side of the game and Sean is very much the equal of that when it comes to attack, plus Chev will continue to do an outstanding job in helping our young players transition from the academy to first team.”

Long, who was capped 21 times by his country, began his playing career at Wigan before a brief spell at Widnes ahead of the move to St Helens where he won five Challenge Cups, four Super League Grand Finals and two World Club titles during a 12-year playing stint.

He finished his playing days at Hull FC, moving to the KCOM Stadium, and announced his retirement in August 2011.

As well as his club roles, he was also an assistant-coach with Samoa at the 2013 and 2017 World Cups.

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