Luke Gale: My reaction to losing Leeds Rhinos captaincy

ENGLAND HALF-BACK Luke Gale has apologised for missing a training session last week and stressed he is fully committed to Leeds Rhinos.
By Peter Smith
Published 27th Jul 2021, 17:00 BST
Luke Gale scoring a try against Salford has lost the captaincy of Leeds Rhinos (Picture: Steve Riding)Luke Gale scoring a try against Salford has lost the captaincy of Leeds Rhinos (Picture: Steve Riding)
Luke Gale scoring a try against Salford has lost the captaincy of Leeds Rhinos (Picture: Steve Riding)

The former Man of Steel was dropped from Leeds’ 17-man squad for last Friday’s Betfred Super League fixture with Salford Red Devils and has since had his captaincy of the club removed.

Rhinos said on Monday Gale’s demotion was as a result of “behaviours not aligned to team trademarks”.

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However, the former Castleford Tigers play-maker has been included in coach Richard Agar’s initial 21-man squad for tomorrow’s Super League fixture at Hull FC.

Luke Gale at Rhinos training (Picture: Phil Daly/Leeds Rhinos/SWpix.com)Luke Gale at Rhinos training (Picture: Phil Daly/Leeds Rhinos/SWpix.com)
Luke Gale at Rhinos training (Picture: Phil Daly/Leeds Rhinos/SWpix.com)

Gale, 33, confirmed he spoke to the players as a group to say sorry for his actions and is determined to “move on” from last week’s events.

He is contracted to Leeds until the end of next season and insisted he has no issues with Agar or anyone else at the Headingley club.

“There was a bit of a disagreement between me and Rich Agar in a team meeting,” revealed Gale.

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“The meeting ended fine and then we had a field session after it. I didn’t feel I was in a position mentally to go out and do that session, so I didn’t train.”

He added: “I left and I apologise for that. I have spoken to the boys as a group, I have said I am sorry and admitted I let them down by leaving training, which is an unprofessional thing to do.”

Former Castleford player Gale joined Leeds ahead of the 2020 season and was appointed captain at the start of the campaign, after Stevie Ward suffered a long-term concussion.

He led his home city club to Challenge Cup victory at Wembley last year, when his drop goal secured a dramatic one-point victory over Salford Red Devils.

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A broken thumb and two-game suspension have disrupted his campaign this term, after he recovered from a pectoral muscle injury suffered in Leeds’ first pre-season training session.

Gale is now looking to put recent events behind him and insisted: “As far as I am concerned, it is all over and done with now. I am paid to play rugby and help this Leeds team win matches and that is all I am focusing on.

“I am bitterly disappointed about what’s happened and I can’t hide that, but now we all move on.

“I trained on Monday, we had a great session and there’s a 
really good atmosphere in the camp.”

Related topics:Luke GaleLeedsLeeds RhinosRichard AgarEngland

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