Kevin Sinfield

Kevin Sinfield (born 12 September 1980) is an English rugby union coach, currently the skills & kicking coach for the England national team.

He is a former professional rugby league player for Leeds Rhinos, England and Great Britain.

His usual position was, although he played and on occasion.

Sinfield played his entire professional career with Leeds and is one of the most successful players in Super League history, having captained the team to seven Super League championships and two Challenge Cup successes.

He signed for Leeds in August 1997.

Sinfield made his first team début for Leeds aged 16 against the Sheffield Eagles, and made three further appearances during the 1997 and 1998 seasons, scoring his first try against the Huddersfield Giants in September 1998.

1999 was a breakthrough season for Sinfield, with 21 appearances and 2 tries.

He was not selected for the 1999 Challenge Cup Final, when Leeds defeated the London Broncos.

Sinfield was a member of the England squad for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup, scoring a hat-trick of tries in a 76–4 victory over Russia.

During the 2001 Kangaroo tour he played for Great Britain in all three Ashes tests against Australia.

Sinfield played for Leeds at in the 2003 Challenge Cup Final against Bradford Bulls, kicking four goals in his side's defeat.

He played for Great Britain in the 2nd and 3rd Ashes Tests of the 2003 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France.

He kicked four goals for Leeds in their 2004 Super League Grand Final victory against Bradford.

As Super League IX champions, Leeds faced 2004 NRL season premiers, the Bulldogs in the 2005 World Club Challenge.

Sinfield captained Leeds, kicking five goals and one drop goal in their 39–32 victory.

He also earned individual accolades as winner of the Lance Todd Trophy (2005), Harry Sunderland Trophy twice (2009, 2012) and the Golden Boot (2012), one of only five British-based players to win the latter.

He holds records as the highest points-scorer in Super League history, the third-highest points-scorer in British rugby league history and Leeds' record points scorer.

Sinfield is also only one of two players to have led a team to win three consecutive Super League titles.

He won 26 caps for England, which he captained, and 14 caps for Great Britain.

Sinfield played for Leeds in the 2005 Challenge Cup Final, kicking four goals in their loss against Hull F.C., but was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match nonetheless.

He played at loose forward, kicking a goal in Leeds' 2005 Super League Grand Final loss against Bradford Bulls.

He was also named in 2005's Super League Dream Team.

Sinfield was selected to play for Great Britain in the end-of-season 2005 Tri-nations tournament.

He was named in 2006's Super League Dream Team.

In 2007, he became the first Leeds player to score in every round of a Super League season, a feat which he repeated in the 2011 season including kicking 6 out of 7 goals in the Rhinos' fourth Grand final victory over St. Helens in 5 years.

In the post-season Sinfield played for Great Britain against the 2007 All Golds Tourists.

Sinfield celebrated his testimonial season in 2008.

He was man of the match, scoring seven points, as Leeds defeated Melbourne 11–4 at Elland Road.

During the season Sinfield set a club record by scoring in 63 consecutive matches.

He also set a Super League record by scoring in 52 consecutive Super League games.

Sinfield scored his 2,000th point for the club as Leeds defeated St Helens for the second successive year in the 2008 Super League Grand Final.

Leeds won 24–16, with Sinfield successfully kicking four goals.

It was the first time Leeds had ever won back-to-back titles.

It was also the first time that a Super League team had won both the World Club Challenge, and the Grand Final in the same calendar year.

He was also selected for the England squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup tournament in Australia.

In England's first match against Papua New Guinea he played at loose forward and kicked four goals from six attempts in England's victory.

He played rugby union for Leeds' sister club Yorkshire Carnegie in 2015-16, and retired from playing in 2016.

Since retirement he has also become a prominent fundraiser for charities associated with Motor Neurone Disease.

Sinfield was born in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England.

Sinfield starting his playing career at Waterhead ARLFC, who also produced talent such as Barrie McDermott, Paul Sculthorpe, Danny Sculthorpe, Paul Highton, Lee Jewitt, Marc Sneyd and Gareth Owen.