26 Jan 2024

Smith names Rhinos squad for Keith Howard Foundation Trophy clash with Bulls

Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith has named his side to take on Bradford Bulls this Sunday in the Keith Howard Foundation Trophy, kick off 3pm.

The squad is made up largely of the club's rising young talents, including Jack Smith and Tom Nicholson-Watton who scored tries off the bench on Boxing Day. Riley Lumb, Ned McCormack and Ben Littlewood also ran out in the Wetherby Whaler Festive Challenge and are involved from the start on Sunday along with Mikolaj Oledzki, who was unavailable for the game against Wakefield but gets his first minutes of 2024 this weekend.

Jack Sinfield and Corey Johnson partner in the halves, with Fergus McCormack named amongst the substitutes, and Ben Hursey-Hord, who has been involved in the Rhinos Reserves team for the past year, gets his chance in the back row.

Dylan Proud, Freddie Brennan-Jones, Mason Corbett, Leo Aliyu and Harrison Gilmore have all progressed through the Rhinos Academy system in the last two years and are named on the bench. Gilmore, Brennan-Jones and Proud in particular were part of the 2022 Academy side that went on to win the Grand Final under Chev Walker, whilst England Community Lions international Oliver Smart is in line to get his first minutes in a Rhinos shirt having been picked up by the club from Siddal at the beginning of the year.

James Donaldson faces his former club ahead of his Testimonial match next Sunday afternoon at AMT Headingley.

Tickets for the game are still available to buy at tickets.therhinos.co.uk.

The squad in full is:

Riley Lumb sponsored by Euro Auction

Derrell Olpherts sponsored by Bartercard

Ned McCormack sponsored by NIC FM Services

Luis Roberts sponsored by Wetherby Whaler

Jack Smith

Corey Johnson

Jack Sinfield sponsored by ACS Stainless Steel

Mikolaj Oledzki sponsored by Pickups Self Storage

Jarrod O’Connor sponsored by Horbury Dental Services