After a promising start to his Leeds career Lee Smith really began to fulfil his potential last year and was rewarded with a number of honours, firstly earning a place in the Carnegie World Club Challenge squad who defeated Melbourne Storm before scoring a try, for the second year running, in the Grand Final to win the Harry Sunderland Award for Man of the Match. He then ended the year as part of the England World Cup squad, where he scored a hat trick in the opening game against Papua New Guinea.
After emerging as one of the stars of the Leeds Academy, where he had achieved Grand Final success and had been named Senior Academy Player of the Year in 2003, Lee broke his way through into the first team in 2005 and has since become a regular in the first team. A versatile player, Lee can play at full back or on the wing and last year further showed his versatility when he moved to centre in the game against Castleford, when the team were without six of their international players. Lee demonstrated his maturity in that game and scored a try and three goals to help secure a memorable win.
In 2006 he began the season on the wing but showed his versatility by taking over at full back following an injury to Richard Mathers. In his first two games at this position Leeds managed a 66-0 win over Rochdale and then an incredible 30-0 result over Bradford at Odsal. Throughout the season Lee made 21 appearances, scored 9 tries and 1 goal and also played a key role in the Senior Academy squad’s success by captaining them to Grand Final glory against Hull.
In 2007 after making 20 appearances for the side, he finished the year in spectacular style with a try in the Grand Final to put the team on their way to Super League glory.
Lee has also represented England at U17 and U18 level, with whom he won the Aussie Test match, the first time the side had accomplished this on Australian soil. Lee marked his 18th birthday with a man of the match performance against New Zealand.
In 2006 he was one of six Rhinos who joined the England squad for the Federation Shield tournament. Lee began in great form, scoring a brace of tries in the opening match against France and a last minute try in the second game against Tonga. In the final Lee played on the wing as England completed their unbeaten run with a 32-14 defeat over Tonga.
Lee's favourite meal to cook is fillet steak, homemade chips and peppercorn sauce. He is a big Leeds United supporter and attended in the Championship Play Off Final at the Millennium Stadium in 2006 when United lost out to Watford for a place in the Premiership.
Leeds-born Lee attended Bruntcliffe High School and having supported the Rhinos as a kid it is no wonder that his favourite game that he has played was the 30-0 win at Odsal in 2006.
