Rugby Union coach who was linked with Leeds Rhinos in line for big NRL job

Going into 2022, there was plenty of discussion surrounding the Leeds Rhinos Head Coach position.

Kevin Sinfield had vacated his role as Director of Rugby and there was a belief that Leeds wanted to move current Head Coach Richard Agar into that position going into the new season.

But in July of 2021 Chief Executive Gary Hetherington confirmed that Agar would go into 2022 as “Head Coach with expanded responsibilities.”

Alongside this he confirmed that discussions had been held with a number of interested coaches including former South Sydney and Brisbane boss Anthony Seibold who had terrific success at Souths but less so at Brisbane.

So, discussions were held between Leeds and Seibold but no move ever materialised, and Leeds fans may think that this was for the best given the success Rohan Smith had had since taking over just under a year after Hetherington made the above statement.

However, Seibold’s next big rugby league coaching move is now seemingly on the horizon. After working with Eddie Jones in the England Rugby Union set-up preparing for a World Cup of their own, Seibold looks set to return to the NRL with reports down under stating that he is now the front runner for the Manly Sea Eagles job with recent upheaval at the club.

This stemmed from the fact they wanted to replace current boss Des Hassler but not immediately hoping to bring in an assistant for 2023 with a view to replace him in 2024.

This has led to questions not only over who will coach the Eagles in 2024 but also in 2023 with Hassler unsettled by this.

According to Fox League he is at the top of the short list Manly have put together as a replacement for Hassler.

He will be hoping if he gets the gig that it goes better than at Brisbane where he left 18 months into a five year deal.