Richard Agar, Sean Long and Jamie Jones-Buchanan can help Kevin Sinfield deliver on Leeds Rhinos’ potential

Considering Leeds have won eight Grand Finals since 2004, with coaches of the quality of Tony Smith, Brian McDermott and Brian McClennan at the helm, it illustrates just how highly he rates the present personnel.

It is the depth of talent at Emerald Headingley that impresses the former England captain so much, head coach Richard Agar being augmented by the arrival of ex-Great Britain star Sean Long and Jamie Jones-Buchanan, one of the Rhinos’ Golden Generation who has also made a successful transition to coaching.

With the new season now just a month away – the full Super League fixture list was revealed yesterday and is below Yorkshire’s clubs – Sinfield is confident the West Yorkshire club can kick-on after lifting the Challenge Cup in October and finishing fifth.

“I don’t think we’ve had a stronger coaching team,” he said, having appointed Agar – initially on a caretaker basis – following the sacking of Dave Furner in May 2019.

“I can’t remember the last time we had the quality and the geniuses that we have here. Look at Rich and the job he has done but then Sean Long and Jamie Jones...

“I saw something JP (Jamie Peacock) said the other week where he said they’re two of the strangest blokes you will ever meet who are completely out there! But they are actually brilliant. They are so creative between them and – everyone knows how close I am with Jonesy anyway – but I have really enjoyed working with Sean.

“He’s had a huge impact and the three of them are so strong.”

Sinfield, meanwhile, knows he – not just head coach Agar– will be judged on how Leeds perform this season. The Rhinos legend, who captained the club to seven of those Old Trafford successes, was brought in to overhaul the football department in July 2018.

That was following the sacking of McDermott, the four-time Grand Final winner, and with the club treading close to the wrong end of the table for a second time in three years. Rhinos have endured a difficult pre-season, needing to shut down their training ground for a spell due to Covid and also having issues with some overseas players getting back into the country.

But Sinfield, 40, is bullish about the squad’s chances of success. He added: “I feel we’ll massively improve again. When I came back two and half years ago, I said give me three years to fix it and if I can’t I’ll go do something else and you can get someone else to do the job.

“Even with what’s gone on these last four months, there’ll be no excuses from me. I’m really happy with where the squad is at and our staff. I’m not going to shy away from the fact that I said to give me three years. We’ve faced what everyone else has had to face and we’ll be ready to give it our best shot.”

That three-year stint comes to an end in the summer but Sinfield – Leeds’ first director of rugby – would not be drawn on his own future.

He said: “My future is not something that’s really important at this stage. What is important to me is we carry on moving forward, carry on improving.

“What is fair to say is the board will make a decision down the track and if things don’t go to plan I am not going to wait around and stay here because I just want to earn some cash. It has got to be right for everybody. When I came back it was because I love the club and that will always remain.”

As expected, the confirmed fixture list shows that clubs will have to play three double-header weekends this season.

Also, Round Seven (May 20-23) is when clubs can expect to see fans back in grounds for the first time since March if the Government’s ‘roadmap’ is followed.

At that point, Leeds host Hull FC and Wakefield Trinity entertain Hull KR while Castleford Tigers’ first home game with supporters should be the following week against Rhinos.

Hull KR have Leigh visit on May 27-30 as their big return but Huddersfield have a wait: Salford on June 17-20 could be the first time they see fans back.

Hull have even longer, Brett Hodgson’s side needing to wait until June 24-25, and Giants’ arrival, due to the KCOM Stadium pitch being relaid after Hull City’s football commitments end.

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