Wentzel retains his faith and opts to stay with Leeds

Captain Marco Wentzel has handed Leeds Carnegie a timely boost ahead of Sunday’s relegation showdown with Newcastle by signing a new two-year contract.

The South African second row’s current deal was due to expire in the summer and he had been linked with a move to Gloucester with Leeds’s status in the top flight not certain for next season.

But the towering lineout leader has become the first high-profile player to commit his future to the Carnegie cause after what has been a trying period which began with Andy Key’s shock departure last week and continued with the heavy loss to Saracens on Sunday.

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“It was a hard decision to come to but I have signed because I still believe in the reasons why I initially came here, and that was to build this club into a Premiership force,” said Wentzel, 31, who joined Leeds from Leicester 18 months ago.

“The start of the second season has not gone to plan and we are not where we want to be, but I still believe that vision is possible.

“There is so much young talent at the club and if we can keep those players here then it’s about building for the future.

“Looking back, aiming for the top six at the start of the year was a step too far. We have clarity though now in what we have to achieve and beyond that it’s about helping develop a group of young, talented players.”

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The hope now for Leeds is that the dozen or so players who will also be out of contract in the summer follow their captain’s example.

Gaining a victory over Newcastle at Headingley on Sunday would go a long way to convincing existing out-of-contract players and external transfer targets, unsure of where Leeds will be next season, that the club can still be a Premiership force.

Wentzel said: “You cannot place enough emphasis on how big this game is for the club going forward, signing players etc.

“It’s between us and Newcastle at the bottom and this game offers an eight-point swing.”