Kevin Sinfield returns to rugby league as RFL rugby director
Wednesday 24 August 2016 17:21, UK
Kevin Sinfield is to make his return to rugby league in a high-profile role with the sport's governing body.
The 35-year-old former Leeds and England captain ended his glittering league career at the end of last season and bowed out of rugby altogether in April after cutting short a brief stint in union with Yorkshire Carnegie.
In March Sinfield revealed how he missed rugby league "every single day" and it has been announced that he will take up the role of rugby director, reporting to the Rugby Football League's board of directors, from September 1.
Sinfield will split his time between the performance and development department at the RFL's headquarters in Red Hall, Leeds, and with the commercial, marketing and communications teams based at Media City UK in Manchester.
At Red Hall, Sinfield will lead a review of England's 2016 Four Nations campaign and help put in place a four-year plan for the 2021 World Cup.
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"I believe it's important for our sport to have a strong international set-up," he said. "With the World Cup next year in Australia and then potentially on home soil again in 2021 the coming years could be really positive for Rugby League.
"There are some incredible personalities in Rugby League who have a great mix of experience and knowledge. Hopefully by taking on this role it will encourage other players, both former and current, who have aspirations of furthering their careers to come and pursue a new pathway at The RFL."
Sinfield finished his career as the highest points-scorer in Rhinos history, the highest points-scorer in Super League and the third highest points-scorer in British rugby league history, behind Jim Sullivan and Neil Fox.
RFL chief executive Nigel Wood said: "The 20 years Kevin has spent as a player at the very highest level of the game will provide us with incredible insight and having spoken to him at length about the opportunity to work with us, I know that he is determined to make as much of a difference off the pitch to the sport of Rugby League as he did on it.
"This appointment is one of a number of significant executive announcements that we will be making in the coming months."
