Latest news with #Sinfield
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Rugby player announces new challenge for MND
A former England rugby league star has announced he will take on another seven ultra-marathons over seven days, in honour of his late teammate Rob Burrow. Kevin Sinfield, 44, said he and his team will begin this year's challenge - which takes place across the UK and Ireland - on 1 December, raising money and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND). This year he hopes to raise £777,777 - to add to funds of more than £10m raised since he began running marathons in 2020, following his friend's diagnosis in 2019. Mr Sinfield said he was excited to take on another challenge, adding it "feels like a form of therapy at times" - particularly last year following Rob Burrow's death, at the age of 41. He told BBC Breakfast: "The five challenges we've done so far have been really tough and challenging, but the people we've met so far, they've all been amazing - so it's important we keep Rob's legacy going and get the other two done. "Hearing people's stories along the way is a massive energy-giver, as there's some dark moments on the road [when] it's dark and wet and cold, and your body is telling you to give up. "But you take all that energy and emotion on the road and use it as fuel. We share our stories with each other every night, about what's gone on during the day, so it is really powerful." The team will start in Bury St Edmunds before travelling to Ipswich, Cork, Swansea, Sheffield, Workington, Whitehaven, Dundee, and North Yorkshire, arriving in Leeds on 7 December. The money raised will be split between the MND Association, the Leeds Hospital Charity, Irish MND Association, the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, MND Scotland and The Darby Rimmer Foundation. While in Cork, the team will pause to remember former Warrington Rugby League player and Munster Rugby Union coach Paul Darbyshire, who died in 2011 from MND. "The challenge is good for me," Mr Sinfield said, adding: "It's almost like a form of therapy at times, and has given us something to really go after. "We can't just expect to rock up on the 1st December and expect it to happen, so there's 10-12 weeks before where we put a lot of time and effort in, and that involves putting yourself in a dark place - the training is the difficult bit. "I don't like being in the dark spot but I enjoy coming through it... knowing I've been in there." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Sinfield 'battered' after 230-mile Rob Burrow run Sinfield challenge: Everything you need to know Thousands of runners turn out in Rob Burrow's memory Rob Burrow recorded video messages to be played as children grow up 7 in 7 Challenge
BBC News
22-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Leeds edge past champions Wigan in gripping contest
Betfred Super LeagueLeeds (6) 12Tries: Lumb, Sinfield Goals: Connor 2Wigan (4) 10Tries: Marshall, French Goal: Smith Leeds Rhinos edged past champions Wigan Warriors in a gripping contest at AMT Headingley to claim a statement Super League Lumb's early try gave the home side the lead before Liam Marshall's score reduced the deficit to two points at the break.A typical piece of magic from Bevan French put Wigan in front for the first time but Jack Sinfield's late try and Jake Connor's conversion turned the game back in the Rhinos' win takes them up to sixth and showed they could be a force under new head coach Brad Warriors are one place above them, but this was a second straight loss, after going out of the Challenge Cup seven days ago, and a third defeat in their seven games this season. More to follow. Leeds: Miller; Hall, Newman, Handley, Lumb; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, O'Connor, Jenkins, Bentley, McDonnell, Gannon, Lisone, Sinfield, French; Douglas, Eckersley, Wardle, Marshall; Farrimond, Smith; Byrne, Leeming, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Mago, Dupree, Walters, Jack Smith.
Telegraph
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Kevin Sinfield: Marcus Smith can be better full-back than fly-half
Marcus Smith can become a better full-back than fly-half according to the England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield who says that it would be a missed opportunity to throw the experiment 'in the bin'. After eight successive starts at fly-half for England – a sequence in which they only managed to beat Japan – Marcus Smith was shifted to full-back against France with Fin Smith taking over this No 10 shirt. Sinfield is widely credited as the architect of the Harlequins playmaker moving to full-back during the build-up to the 2023 World Cup where he appeared in the group game against Chile, the quarter-final victory over Fiji and the third place play-off versus Argentina. Even though England technically boast a 100 per cent record with the Harlequins playmaker at full-back, there have been teething problems with the transition, especially in defence. However, Sinfield believes Smith's skill set might be more suited to the No 15 rather than the No 10 shirt. When asked if he could become a better full-back than fly-half, Sinfield said: 'Ooof, I'd like to think so. If we could get him into a position where he's world-class at both, it gives us some options. Like I said, a second ball player is really important with the make up in the backline. He could end up being a third ball-player at some stage. 'You look at how the game is played now and how valuable a second ball player can be. Marcus' big strengths are when he is in space. We know he can do it when it is tight and there are lots of bodies around, he is able to move laterally very, very quickly so he puts defenders under a lot of stress. So clearly it makes sense to try and get him a little bit wider where the gaps tend to be a little bit bigger. It was never going to be an easy transition because he doesn't play there for his club a lot although they have used him a bit, they brought Jarrod Evans on. 'He has not had a great deal of time there, not had a massive amount of minutes. We have all seen the reports how he loves playing 10, he is an outstanding 10 but I think he is a very, very good 15 as well. 'Clearly there are some elements that we all need to be better at, and I think Marcus would agree. Some of his 10 play and his 15 needs to improve, so I think if we all looked at the game from the weekend there will be some bits that are not as good as we could be, but I think if we throw it in the bin now it'll be a wasted opportunity.' Sinfield's official remit as an assistant coach lies in 'skills and kicking', he also acts as the sounding board for the squad and his services have been in high demand in recent weeks. As Marcus Smith told Telegraph Sport before the Six Nations, he sees himself a specialist fly-half who now finds himself at full-back while George Ford is stuck on 98 caps outside of the matchday squad. Even Fin Smith is far from content, according to Sinfield. 'It's funny because all three of them are that driven that none of them are happy,' Sinfield. 'The time I spend with them is very, very different because they are different characters, going through different stuff. Fin wants to improve his game. He's started the last two but he wants to be better and have more of an influence in there. 'George has been exemplary. You get better at it with age, although I think it stings more, the older you get. He's been awesome. I would probably play down Marcus's massive drive to play 10. I think he understands his role; what he's done for the last two weeks and how important he's been for us. He's a big running threat, has got a good kicking game, and his relationship with Fin and George has enhanced this campaign, the work the three of them do, how hard they push each other… all three of them are world class, so we're very fortunate to have all three. 'So, I don't think any of them are happy but, right across the team, I don't think there's anyone that is happy. There are people who might be satisfied with one or two bits of their game, but there's certainly no complacency here and we understand we've gone through two really close games and come out the right side of them, but to keep moving forward in this campaign, we have to keep showing improvements. We get a chance to do that again, which is great.'
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pollock has 'wonderful future', says Sinfield
Men's Six Nations: England v ItalyVenue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Date: Sunday, 9 March Kick-off: 15:00 GMTCoverage: Live on BBC Radio 5 Live with text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app; watch on ITV 1 Uncapped back row forward Henry Pollock has a "wonderful future ahead of him", says England skills coach Kevin 20-year-old has enjoyed a stellar season with Northampton Saints and was called up to the England training camp before their Calcutta Cup meeting with was influential as England Under-20s won the World Cup last summer and Sinfield says the flanker has been impressive in training since stepping up to the senior set-up."Pollock has been outstanding," Sinfield told BBC Sport at England's training camp in York."He's been great and has massively impressed not just the coaches but the players as well."He's got a wonderful future ahead of him."England remain in contention to win the Six Nations after dramatic one-point home wins over both France and are no games in the Six Nations this weekend and Steve Borthwick's side return to Allianz Stadium on Sunday, 9 March to host Italy in their penultimate match of this year's tournament, with Sinfield saying Pollock is in contention to make his Test debut."Henry's in a squad of 29 here that are fit and available, with four or five that are here rehabbing," said Sinfield. "He's in with a shout [of making the squad] but they all are." 'Our job is to win games' England's comeback victory over France earlier this month was their first Test win in nearly a year against anyone other than Japan, while Fin Smith's winning penalty a fortnight later against Scotland returned the Calcutta Cup to London for the first time since 2020. The feel-good factor has returned to Allianz Stadium but England have acknowledged their performances have not been at the level they are aiming to reach. Borthwick's side have kicked the ball more than any other team in the competition, external and, despite ending a run of four consecutive defeats by the Scots, were outscored by three tries to are expected to maintain their unbeaten record against Italy, who arrive at Twickenham after a 73-24 thumping by France, but Sinfield says a repeat of the French demolition job is unlikely."First of all we want to win," said the 44-year-old. "Previously, we've had a couple of tight defeats and our job in sport at this level is to win games. "We're not talking about under-9s where it's about participation and improving and developing. Clearly within that we are trying to improve every single day. "People may have seen the France v Italy game and expect England to win by 50 points because we are at home. We have to be realistic as well. It's a Test match and Italy are a decent side, they are well coached and have some good players who we know a lot about."Of course it's important how we play, but our job is to win rugby games. We probably didn't give Scotland enough credit for how well they played. Would we like to throw the ball about and score eight or nine tries? Of course we would, but the reality is they are a good side and they took that away from us." 'Marcus Smith is a world-class 10' Sinfield's current title is skills coach, but the former rugby league international says his role is very varied, as he has also been seen working with England's kickers before they address the Smith began the tournament as England's fly-half and main kicker but his disappointing performance from the tee against France led to namesake Fin Smith converting Elliot Daly's winning try late Smith retained the kicking duties in the victory over Scotland before Fin Smith took the responsibility for a long-range penalty from just inside the halfway whether England have a main kicker, Sinfield said: "Typically it's been Marcus for this campaign."That kick where we changed at the weekend was from bang on the halfway line and on a slight angle as well so it's understanding what people's ranges are. The guys actually made that decision on the field."The balance between them is great. They understand the team has to come first and sometimes that means some decisions are made, not just around kicking but with selection, positions people play in and the minutes they get."Marcus Smith has played the past two matches at full-back, with Fin Smith steering the attack from fly-half, but Sinfield says the aim of the decision is to utilise the Harlequins playmaker's strength in space."I think he's played in that [full-back] role a number of times for Quins," added Sinfield. "He perhaps hasn't started there, but certainly gone there in games when Jarrod Evans has gone on."We know he is a world-class number 10 and part of our role as coaches is trying to get our best players on the field, and sometimes that means they have to shift positions slightly. "One of Marcus' big qualities is how he beats people and what he's like in spaces that are a little bit bigger and when the gaps are a bit bigger, and trying to get him into those positions is a big part of why he was moved to 15. "That's not to say it will continue or to say it will change, it's to say the fact he has some flexibility in his play is really important to us."
The Independent
27-02-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Marcus Smith poised for an extended stint as full-back for England
Marcus Smith looks set for an extended stay as England's full-back, with skills coach Kevin Sinfield claiming it would be 'a wasted opportunity' to turn back now. After eight Tests in a row at fly-half, Smith was switched to number 15 for the Guinness Six Nations games against France and Scotland – both of which ended in dramatic one-point victories. England have plenty of options in their back line but Sinfield suggested Steve Borthwick's management team are ready to double down on the idea of utilising the Harlequins playmaker in his secondary role, while backing Fin Smith in the 10 shirt. With outings against struggling Italy and Wales up next for England, there are hopes that the duo could spark to life and express themselves in a more elaborate fashion than they have managed in their last two, hard-fought clashes. 'It was never going to be an easy transition because he doesn't play there for his club a lot. We have all seen the reports how he loves playing 10, he is an outstanding 10 but I think he is a very, very good 15 as well,' said Sinfield. 'I would probably play down Marcus's massive drive to play 10. I think he understands his role; what he's done for the last two weeks and how important he's been for us. Marcus' big strengths are when he is in space. So clearly it makes sense to try and get him a little bit wider where the gaps tend to be a little bit bigger. 'He has not had a great deal of time there, not had a massive amount of minutes. Some of his 10 play and his 15 play needs to improve. I think if we all looked at the game from the weekend there will be some bits that are not as good as we could be, but I think if we throw it in the bin now it'll be a wasted opportunity. 'If we could get him into a position where he's world class at both (positions), it gives us some options. A second ball player is really important with the make up in the back line.' Sinfield was speaking at York's LNER Community Stadium, where the team will hold an open training session in front of an expected crowd of more than 7,000 on Friday. It is a rare chance for the team to get on the road and connect with fans beyond the capital, and one that Leeds Rhinos stalwart Sinfield applauds. 'Clearly we're in rugby league territory but there's a massive appetite for England to do well,' he said. 'I think it's important that different communities see us and understand that we represent them too. There's a number of the playing group from up north and this isn't just about London and what we do down there. This is about representing the country properly and in the right way, so it's great to be here. 'I love playing at the Allianz, I love the feel of the big stadium and being there…(but) to have a game somewhere up north would be fantastic. We're representative of everybody across England, not just London. 'If we want more boys and girls to pick up a ball across the country, we have to do a bit of this.'
