LEEDS RHINOS legend Kevin Sinfield has admitted that he is likely to take a coaching role in rugby union rather than rugby league following his impending departure from the England rugby union set-up.
Sinfield, following the Rugby World Cup, will be replaced as England defence coach by Felix Jones following a mixed 18 months in the role.
However, the Oldham-born maverick, who helped Leicester Tigers to Premiership glory in 2022 in a defence coach position, has revealed that a union role appeals to him more despite his long affiliation with league and the Rhinos in particular.
“Whether you believe me or not, I don’t know,” Sinfield told the Daily Mail. Do I still want to coach? Yes. What that looks like, I’m not sure. I’m pretty excited about what’s to come this year with England, and then there is a lot of unknown for me. I’ll make the best of it.
But where could that lad Sinfield?
“Coaching full-stop. I don’t know where that is or what it looks like, but I’ve really enjoyed coaching and I don’t ever feel like I really left rugby league because of my role with Rugby League Cares – the charitable arm of the sport. What I do know is I want to continue to support and help people.
“When what happened with Rob (Burrow) happened, it was a big shift in my life, and it felt right to use my experience as a player to help me support players and other people. I try and use that in the best way moving forward. I won’t rule out anything at this stage. I think it’s very unlikely I’ll go back into rugby league, but I’ll never say no.”
Sinfield captained the Rhinos to seven Super League titles and two Challenge Cup successes. He also earned individual accolades as winner of the Lance Todd Trophy (2005), Harry Sunderland Trophy twice (2009, 2012) and the Golden Boot (2012),
Sinfield has also been at the forefront of the battle to raise funds and awareness for research into motor neurone disease after his lifelong friend and former teammate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the disease back in late 2019. For that work, he was awarded a CBE.
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