Treble winners Leeds Rhinos are currently without their Kirkstall training facility after flooding left the complex submerged.
River Aire, which is located next to the training base, burst its banks on Boxing Day evening, with the aftermath heavily affecting the Rhinos as all seven training pitches and other facilities were ruined.
Leeds’ chief executive Gary Hetherington has revealed the facility is unlikely to be sorted until the start of the Super League season, leaving the Rhinos in a difficult position in the build-up to their title defence.
“We’ve lost Kirkstall to flooding, so both Rhinos and Carnegie are homeless,” he told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“It is catastrophic for all the rugby operation, the medical side, coaching, development and the Foundation.
“We have had flooding before, but never to this extent.”
“Our 3G all-weather pitch is ruined and two other pitches at the front of Kirkstall (the training base) were completely covered.”
“We will have to find new training venues, which we will be able to do at different locations around the city.
“But we’ve lost a lot of equipment which was based at Kirkstall and the 3G pitch was run by the Foundation and used by various organisations, including schools and Milford Marlins (community club), so it’s a blow for the community.”
