Perseverance proves key for emotional captain Sinfield

The 33-year-old at last hoisted the Tetley’s Challenge Cup in his sixth final having helped guide Leeds to a 23-10 victory over Castleford Tigers.

It completes a clean sweep for the stand-off who has led Leeds to six Grand Final wins, three World Club Challenges and a League Leaders’ Shield.

He admitted Leeds were more pragmatic in their approach at Wembley on Saturday with a relentless kicking game frustrating their opponents at Wembley.

But Sinfield said: “This wasn’t about Champagne rugby.

“It was about a ruthless performance and a game plan we executed as well as we could as a group, masterminded by Brian (McDermott) and the other coaches.

“Brian deserves a lot of credit and I’m delighted for him.

“We got a bit twitchy when it was 16-10 for a while. Perhaps in the past we may have gone away from the plan, but we stuck to it and got the game.”

When asked how his emotions were afterwards, the England captain added: “It is right up there.

“To lose five has been horrible, so to finally get our hands on it is really special.

“It is great not just for me and the guys who have lost here before, but the players, our family, friends, the coaches, the club and the fans.

“They kept coming down here, spending their hard-earned money and then driving back up the M1 disappointed and disillusioned with how we’ve performed.

“We haven’t deserved it before but this is special. The word for me is perseverance, perseverance as a group, as a club and by a lot of people out there, who hopefully we have sent home smiling.

“It has been 15 hard years to get this back – it’s too long.

“We stuck at it and continued what we were doing.

“I don’t think it erases those five or six defeats, but it is certainly a special moment.”

Once the celebrations die down, Sinfield will look to make yet more history – becoming the first Leeds captain to complete a league and cup double.