Thursday night sees Leeds Rhinos Under-16s get their campaign underway as Mark Butterill's side welcome Hull FC to Stanningley in their first game of the season, kick off 7pm.

After the arrival of 20 new Under-15s players back in November, the cohort of 41 players has had a strong pre-season which has involved training sessions at the Bartercard Kirkstall Training Ground and Leeds Beckett University as well as a team-building away trip to Bridlington to develop their rugby skills alongside playing for their community clubs. The club has also delivered off-field sessions for the group as well, which included a visit from first team star Riley Lumb who talked about his journey since joining the Scholarship in 2021.

Watch more about the session:

The game is a repeat of last year's season opener, in which the Rhinos posted a 26-16 win before going on to win seven out of eight matches. It was the first meeting between the clubs in the Scholarship since 2019 when the Rhinos recorded a 50-6 triumph over the former City of Hull team; Max Simpson scored a hat trick on that day.

The black and whites finished last year with two wins and a draw in their eight match season, but with a new group of players too, they hope to make a bright start to 2025 under Head of Youth Richard Tate.

Team News 

For his first game of the year, Mark Butterill has selected a squad largely made up of second-year players who are in their final year at the Scholarship level.

Loose forward Brennan Townend leads the side from the front after he featured six times last season. Only centre Jacob Tooala made more appearances than the skipper in 2024, after the son of Alfie Tooala scored one try in seven games for the Rhinos, plus prop Robin Smith also had plenty of game time with six appearances and a try against Castleford at AMT Headingley. 

A handful of players get a chance to feature in new positions too as Sam Oldroyd is set to feature at full back and Jack Smith moves into the halves having played four times on the wing last year. Winger Noah Sheriffe is the only first-year player to be included in the starting squad, but Joe Gill and Ben Smith could get their chance to pull on blue and amber for the amber as they've been named on the bench. 

The team in full is: 

1. Sam Oldroyd sponsored by Pro-Tech Automotive

2. Noah Sheriffe sponsored by A4 Barcodes

3. Jacob Tooala sponsored by iGlass Services

4. Sonny Hetherington sponsored by Butterfield Builders

5. Bailey Hardy sponsored by Castleford Physiotherapy

6. Jack Mears sponsored by The Safety Consultants Company

7. Jack Smith sponsored by Mick Kielty

8. Robin Smith sponsored by Yorkshire Will Writers

9. Noah Lunn sponsored by Waterforce Property Services

10. Will Mathers sponsored by Barhale

11. Dan Shaw sponsored by JPG

12. Alfie Steel sponsored by T&A Powering Maintenance

13. Brennan Townend (Captain) sponsored by Crossroads Truck & Bus

Subs:

14. Harry Thompson sponsored by Roscoe

15. Connor Lawrie is available to sponsor

16. Ryan Hosier sponsored by Nathan Hadfield Utilities

17. Joe Gill sponsored by Fitness Magpie

18. Ben Smith sponsored by pivot

To sponsor a Scholarship, Academy, Women's Academy or Reserves player, contact sales@therhinos.co.uk

More Information

Entry is £5 for adults and £3 for juniors through the main clubhouse, plus there will be food and drink available to purchase at the outside kiosk. Team Sheets are available for all spectators.