Kevin Sinfield Name Kevin Sinfield Position Loose Forward Date of Birth 09/12/1980 Place of Birth Oldham Previous Club Waterhead ARLFC Weight  95Kg Height  1.85m Honours Great Britain Squad Number 13 Debut  v Sheffield 22/08/97 Leeds Career : In 2007 Kevin Sinfield became the first Leeds captain to ever lead his side to two Championship titles. His rise at the club, from making his breakthrough from the Academy side in 1997 as a 16 year old to leading the team to their best period in over thirty years, has been remarkable and still only 27 there is still plenty to come from the Oldham born player. Last season he was inspirational throughout and never failed to perform, becoming the first Rhino to ever score in every round of Super League with 113 goals. Kevin has been part of the Rhinos squad for almost ten years and since making his debut in 1997 as a 16 year old he has grown into an inspirational captain who has led the team to their most successful period in over thirty years. In 2005, Kevin became the first Leeds captain ever to lift the World Club Challenge trophy and led his side back to the Powergen Challenge Cup and Grand Final. In 2005 he missed just five games after dislocating his thumb mid-season. He was recognised for his achievements by being named as the Rhinos Player of the Year. He scored 328 points in all competitions in 2005 and narrowly missed out on the top spot as the league’s top points scorer. 2005 also marked a momentous milestone for Kevin as he became only the 11th player in the history of the club to surpass 1,000 points in a career. That places him fifth in the all time list for Leeds. Kevin has always been recognised as an extremely special player since he joined the Rhinos in 1996 and made his debut whilst still a 16-year-old against Sheffield at Headingley in 1997. A brilliantly gifted footballer he has already achieved so much in his short career that many believe he will go on to be one of the true greats of the game. Kevin was part of the squad that made it to the 1999 and 2000 Challenge Cup Final, only to miss out on a place in the Final line up. However, he fought back from that disappointment to captain the Rhinos in the 2003 Final at Cardiff. Such was his progression at the club that he was awarded the Leeds Rhinos captaincy for 2003 after becoming a first choice regular at the club. Adapt at playing either loose forward or stand off, and is an astute goal kicker who is constantly amongst the top points scorers in the league. Kevin has been an essential part of the Rhinos success, having finished the 2004 season as the Super League’s top goal scorer with 152 goals and 3 drop goals he led the side to their first ever Grand Final victory. In 2006 Kevin once again led the way as top points scorer with 223, which would have undoubtedly have been more had he not missed part of the season once again through injury. Rugby Career : Kevin graduated to the full international ranks for England in the World Cup in 2000. He appeared off the bench in the opening game against Australia before making his full debut against Russia five days later. He scored a hat-trick that day and then returned to the bench for the next match against Fiji. 2001 saw even more success as Sinfield played for the victorious Lancashire side at Headingley in the Origin match before taking up his spot in the starting line up for England against Wales. Sinfield had clearly grown in stature and David Waite had no hesitation in throwing him in at hooker, a position he had never played before, for his debut in the first test of the Ashes in the Autumn, which Great Britain won. Sinfield played in the remaining two tests. In 2002 Kevin retained his place in both the Lancashire Origin and the Great Britain side. He gained his fourth cap in July of that year, again against Australia in Sydney before featuring in two Tests against New Zealand in the Autumn international series. Kevin retained his place in the Great Britain side for the Ashes in 2003 however despite a successful domestic season he was omitted from the 2004 Tri Nations squad. In 2007 he made a return to the Great Britain side in the Test match against France at Headingley Carnegie before being part of the squad who achieved three wins over New Zealand in that year's Test series. Personal Details : Kevin has three A-Levels after completing his studies before becoming a professional player, in 2003 he began a sports science degree at Leeds Metropolitan University along with five other team mates to continue his studies. His sporting hero growing up was Gary Lineker and favourite film is the Shawshank Redemption. To return to the main squad profiles page click here.