Jamie Jones-Buchanan promises Leeds Rhinos squad they will “lift trophies”

Only Jamie Peacock, Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow have won more Grand Finals than Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

The Leeds Rhinos legend who played for the club for 20 years won seven of Leeds’ eight Grand Finals missing out in 2015 through injury.

On top of that, he played in the 2014 Challenge Cup Final victory as well as World Club Challenge wins in 2005, 2008 and 2012. He also knew his way to the tryline in finals scoring in the 2005 World Club Challenge and the 2007 Grand Final.

So, the Leeds interim boss, who will hand the reins over to new coach Rohan Smith in the coming days, is well versed in how to win trophies not least because of the generation of players he grew up alongside. His best friend is Super League’s greatest captain in Kevin Sinfield after all.

This current Leeds side however right now appear to be a long way off winning trophies despite many of the squad figuring in a Challenge Cup Final win less than two years ago but their slow start to the season has seen Leeds way down the table and having to trust young players in their side such is their injury crisis at the moment.

On Friday, a mix of young players and some of Leeds’ senior men guided Leeds to only their second win of the season and an important one at that as they opened up a three point gap between themselves and the bottom by defeating Toulouse 25-14.

After the win, and despite Leeds’ recent struggles, Jamie Jones-Buchanan spoke to the Leeds squad congratulating them on their win and promising that they will win some trophies as seen in Leeds’ brilliant feature Behind the Game:

“10 of our boys tonight have come through the system and not just played but stood up unbelievably well,” Buchanan addressed the squad, “17-year-old kids carrying the weight of the Leeds Rhinos on the shoulders. Some outstanding performances, some people who have become great leaders in the last three or four weeks.

“I promise you some of the boys in here, you’re going to win some trophies. I’m telling you. You are absolutely going to lift some trophies. Next week we get a new coach in, a new horizon. We’re going to start heading to some new destinations. This is the prequel.”

So, it seems Buchanan – a man who knows everything there is to know about winning silverware – believes the character in this Leeds team and the quality of those young players will underpin another successful team at Headingley.

Perhaps Rohan Smith is the push they need.

You can watch Leeds’ Behind the Game feature here: