Danny McGuire

Daniel Phillip McGuire (born 6 December 1982) is an English rugby league coach and former professional rugby league footballer who is assistant coach for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League.

He played as a or and spent the majority of his professional career with the Leeds Rhinos, winning a total of eight Super League Championships, two Challenge Cups, three World Club Challenge Championships and three League Leaders' Shields.

He made over 400 appearances for the club between 2001 and 2017, before spending two seasons at Hull Kingston Rovers at the end of his playing career.

McGuire impressed for the academy side and made his début for the Leeds Rhinos' first-grade team at Headingley Stadium, against the Salford City Reds on 6 July 2001.

By the start of the 2003's Super League VIII, McGuire had established himself as a first-team regular.

He ended 2004's Super League IX having scored 39 tries in all competitions, including a Super League record of five in one match against the Widnes Vikings.

He finished with one fewer than the Super League's top try scorer, Bradford Bulls' Lesley Vainikolo.

McGuire's superb form resulted in him being awarded the Rugby League Writers Association - 'Player of the Year.' To also add him being named in the 2004 Tetley's Super League Dream Team.

The Leeds Rhinos won the 2004 League Leaders' Shield, with Danny playing a pivotal role in their accomplishment.

McGuire played at in the Leeds Rhinos' 2004 Super League Grand Final victory against the Bradford Bulls, with Danny scoring a try, a game which ended the Leeds Rhinos' 32-year wait for the Championship.

As Super League IX Champions, the Leeds Rhinos faced 2004 NRL season Premiers, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the 2005 World Club Challenge.

McGuire played at and scored a try in the Leeds Rhinos' 39–32 victory.

McGuire excelled though, scoring 27 tries in 32 games, his equal best since his excellent 2004 season.

He played for the Leeds Rhinos in the 2005 Challenge Cup Final from the interchange bench, in their loss against Hull F.C. McGuire suffered a defeat in the 2005 Super League Grand Final, which was a rematch of the 2004 Final against the Bradford Bulls.

McGuire played at and scored the Leeds Rhinos' only try, in a 15–6 defeat.

McGuire played in the 2007 Super League Grand Final this time defeating St Helens, by a score of 33–6.

McGuire also played for Great Britain and England at international level, and represented England at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

McGuire was awarded the Harry Sunderland Trophy in two Grand Finals, one of only three men to do so, alongside his former team-mates Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow.

This also happened again in the 2008 Super League Grand Final again, defeating St. Helens, in a closer affair than the year before.

The Leeds Rhinos' subsequently winning the match, 24–16., with McGuire scoring two tries in the second half to ensure victory.

He was part of the Leeds Rhinos' 2008 World Club Challenge winning squad, defeating the 2007 NRL Season Premiers, the Melbourne Storm, recording a final score of 11–4.

McGuire won his second League Leaders' Shield in 2009 with the Leeds Rhinos.

McGuire's fourth grand final came in the 2009 Super League Grand Final, when the Leeds Rhinos defeated St. Helens for a third-year in a row, by a score of 18–10 at Old Trafford.

After winning three titles in a row the Leeds Rhinos struggled in 2010.

He played in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Warrington Wolves at Wembley Stadium.

McGuire's season ended in controversy though, during the Leeds Rhinos' win in their first play-off match against the eventual champions the Wigan Warriors.

With just moments remaining in the match, the Leeds Rhinos led 27–26, when the Wigan Warriors broke down the left of the field, McGuire was adjudged to have pulled back the Wigan Warriors' George Carmont, preventing him from scoring a potential match-winning try.

But in doing so, McGuire suffered a serious knee injury which ruled him out for up to six-months.

Meaning he'd miss the remainder of the season and the start of the next.

Former Wigan Warriors star Phil Clarke, caused further controversy by writing, "Perhaps the rugby Gods have punished him (McGuire), for his unsportsmanlike play."

The comments were posted on his blog on the Sky Sports website.

McGuire played at for the Leeds Rhinos in the 2011 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Wigan Warriors at Wembley Stadium.

His fifth and latest Grand Final win again, against St Helens, came in 2011, with the Leeds Rhinos coming from 5th in the regular season table to win 32–16, in the 2011 Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford.

McGuire was also the first player to score 200 tries in the Super League and he became the highest try-scorer in the competition's history in 2012, surpassing his former team-mate, Keith Senior.

Upon retirement, McGuire moved into the role of assistant coach at Hull Kingston Rovers.

He worked under Tony Smith and later Willie Peters, as well as taking interim charge prior to Peters' arrival.

Having joined the Castleford Tigers ahead of 2024, he works as assistant coach to Craig Lingard.

Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, McGuire signed for his hometown professional club, Leeds Rhinos, from local team East Leeds A.R.L.F.C.

McGuire was part of the Leeds Rhinos side that won the 2012 World Club Challenge 26–12, against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

McGuire also tasted victory in the 2012 Super League Grand Final against the Warrington Wolves at Old Trafford.