Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith has named his side to take on Bradford Bulls this Sunday in the Keith Howard Foundation Trophy, kick off 3pm.
The squad is made up largely of the squads youngest members, including Jack Smith and Tom Nicholson-Watton who scored tries off the bench on Boxing Day. Riley Lumb, Ned McCormack and Ben Littlewood also ran out in the Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge and are involved from the start on Sunday along with Mikolaj Oledzki, who was unavailable for the game against Wakefield. This comes as a bit of a surprise with the former Bradford loanee the biggest name to be included in the side. He’s an England international after all.
Jack Sinfield and Corey Johnson partner in the halves, with Fergus McCormack named amongst the substitutes, and Ben Hursey-Hord, who has been involved in the Rhinos Reserves team for the past year, gets his chance in the back row.
Young Leeds Rhinos stars included
Hull FC v Leeds Rhinos Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com – 02/09/2023 – Rugby League – Betfred Super League Round 24 – Hull FC v Leeds Rhinos – MKM Stadium, Kingston upon Hull, England – Leeds s Jack Sinfield. Kingston upon Hull MKM Stadium England
Dylan Proud, Freddie Brennan-Jones, Mason Corbett, Leo Aliyu and Harrison Gilmore have all progressed through the Rhinos Academy system in the last two years and are named on the bench. Gilmore, Brennan-Jones and Proud in particular were part of the 2022 Academy side that went on to win the Grand Final under Chev Walker, whilst England Community Lions international Oliver Smart is in line to get his first minutes in a Rhinos shirt having been picked up by the club from Siddal at the beginning of the year.
James Donaldson faces his former club ahead of his Testimonial match next Sunday afternoon at AMT Headingley.
Tickets for the game are still available to buy at tickets.therhinos.co.uk.
The 21 man squad in full is:
Riley Lumb
Derrell Olpherts
Ned McCormack
Luis Roberts
Jack Smith
Corey Johnson
Jack Sinfield
Mikolaj Oledzki
Jarrod O’Connor
Tom Nicholson-Watton
Ben Littlewood
Ben Hursey-Hord
James McDonnell
Justin Sangare
James Donaldson
Dylan Proud
Fergus McCormack
Freddie Brennan-Jones
Mason Corbett
Oliver Smart
Leo Aliyu
Harrison Gilmore
