LEEDS forward Lucy Murray has revealed her unorthodox introduction to Rugby League.
She made her first team debut in 2021 after progressing through the Rhinos’ Academy system and has been one of their most consistent performers in her 58 appearances.
Murray was nominated for the Woman of Steel award in 2024 and went on to make her England debut against Wales earlier this year.
But who knows if all this would have happened had it not been for one particular incident at school.
“Some people say they’ve been playing since they were three, but I’ve not always done rugby,” said the 22-year-old during a club event to mark the start of the women’s season across all age groups.
“Basically I had an after-school detention one day and was told that the rugby team was short on players so I could either play for them or stay in detention.
“I chose to go and play rugby. I ended up doing a full-length, got to the end of the field and threw the ball down thinking that was how you scored a try.
“Everyone was screaming at me for knocking on but it was the greatest time ever, and ever since then, I have loved the sport.
“Lois Forsell (the Leeds coach) then phoned me on my 16th birthday to bring me into the Academy, and I’ve never looked back.”