Jack Sinfield could make his Leeds Rhinos debut on Easter Monday after being named in the squad to take on Castleford Tigers. Sinfield, the son of the club's legendary former captain Kevin, is one of two changes made by Jamie Jones-Buchanan.
The 17-year-old played a key role in the under 18s side that defeated Wigan Warriors on Thursday, kicking a later drop goal and producing a try-saving tackle shortly after in the 23-22 win. He has been rewarded with a place in the 21-man squad alongside Max Simpson, who also featured in the contest.
They replace Jack Walker, who picked up a hamstring injury in the defeat to Huddersfield Giants, and Liam Tindall, who drops out. The Rhinos are looking for just their second victory of the season after surrendering a strong lead to draw with the Giants on Thursday.
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Speaking about the prospect of selecting Sinfield, Jones-Buchanan hinted that it may be too soon.
“I’d love for Jack to be an option because you’re always thinking about his dad, you can’t help it," he said. I admired Kev for 20-odd years and I look at Jack and think ‘wow’. When Jack does something that Kev doesn’t do, like forget his diary, at the same I’m thinking ‘it’s not Kev’. He’s got to be Jack Sinfield – he’ got to be somebody different.
“As much as we all love Kev, Jack’s his own man. Physically, he’s a young man and we don’t want to break him. But he’s going to be a gem so we’ve got to be careful with Jack.”
Leeds Rhinos' 21-man squad: Liam Sutcliffe, Ash Handley, Blake Austin, Mikolaj Oledzki, Kruise Leeming, Matt Prior, James Bentley, Rhyse Martin, Zane Tetevano, Brad Dwyer, Alex Mellor, Cameron Smith, Bodene Thompson, Tom Briscoe, Morgan Gannon, Jack Broadbent, Jarrod O'Connor, James Donaldson, Muizz Mustapha, Max Simpson, Jack Sinfield.
