Jamie Jones-Buchanan opens up on the rival he “tried headbutting” but got “smashed to bits”

Leeds Rhinos have had many rivals during the history of Super League.

They have battled with the likes of St Helens and Wigan Warriors for Super League glory and have had plenty of local rivals too.

Bradford Bulls were always their traditional rivals whilst they have taken on Castleford Tigers and Huddersfield Giants over Easter since the Bulls’ relegation.

Wakefield Trinity are another local rival but there is something about the Leeds-Cas rivalry that is special.

It certainly is for former Rhino Jamie Jones-Buchanan who picked out his own personal rival Richard Fa’aoso with their rivalry sparking when the two clashed in 2006, Fa’aoso’s only season in Super League with Castleford Tigers.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Buchanan reminisced about his own rivalry:

“I certainly do miss those Leeds Bradford games. I picked out Richard Fa’aoso, a player who back in 2006 when I was 25 I was carrying the ball and smashed by him and spun round.

“I was embarrassed and ran straight back at him and got wacked again and this time he held me down for a bit so I tried head butting him instead and he just absolutely smashed me to bits he turned my head into a punching bag and I was sin binned.

“That started a rivalry with him wherever he went and it ended about 18-0 to him so like Monty Python’s Black Knight, I say let’s just call it a draw.”