Former Leeds Rhinos star Lee Smith has spoken of his pride after his son Kai Taylor-Smith was awarded Academy terms with the eight-time Super League champions. The Rhinos have handed contracts to twelve of the club’s Scholarship players – including 16-year-old Taylor-Smith – that will see them join the Under 18 Academy set-up next season.
Fergus McCormack, Jack Purtill, Harry Taylor, Mason Corbett, Riley Sunderland, Mark Nelson, Bobby Hartley, Archie Hurford, Declan Ementon, Ben Findlay and Joe Phillips will also make the progression up the system. Smith, who helped the Rhinos to three successive Grand Final wins between 2007 and 2009, scoring in all three title deciders, told Leeds Live: “Like any dad would be at this stage, I’m immensely proud of Kai.
“I’m just happy that he’s enjoying his rugby league because that’s everything when you play sport. His career will go whichever way it goes and, at such a young age, you don’t know how far he could go. But right now I couldn’t be any happier with where he’s at.
