Kevin Sinfield has revealed he rejected overtures from a number of sports and organisations before agreeing to become the Rugby Football League’s new rugby director, insisting he can see himself staying in the role beyond his current two-year contract.
The former Leeds and England captain began working for the sport’s governing body last week in a role specifically created for the 35-year-old, with his initial remit the development of the England national side at all levels, as well as building the programme for England towards the 2021 World Cup. And Sinfield, who finished his playing career in rugby union with Yorkshire Carnegie this year, admitted he had offers to play on, coach and take on administrative positions in different sports – including the 15-man code – before settling on the RFL and rugby league.
“Yeah, there were plenty of offers, including from rugby union,” he said. “I always wanted to be in administration so the playing and coaching offers were always at the bottom of the queue, though. The way the RFL worked hard to get this over the line really impressed me. They worked so hard to get me and were so welcoming that it makes you feel like they care about you. It wasn’t that difficult to decide. If I’m being honest, I thought I’d end up at a club; I didn’t know in what position but as soon as this came up and it was put to me, this is where I wanted to be.
“The concern was to join an organisation where everything was fantastic and there wasn’t a job to do, but I feel like there is something to do here. I can see myself staying here a long time. It’s initially a two-year agreement but I can see it going beyond that. The job sits perfectly for me.”
Sinfield will also conduct a review of England’s performance in the Four Nations later this year, and he said he would be disappointed if the national coach, Wayne Bennett, opted to pick a significant number of Australian-born players for the tournament, with players such as Josh and Brett Morris – who have played for the Kangaroos in the past – rumoured to be on Bennett’s radar.
He said: “I’ve got one hat saying Wayne can pick who he wants, of course. But having been a former England captain I would probably be disappointed if we pushed it too far.
“ Having played with guys like [Australian-born] Chris Heighington and Jack Reed, those players wanted to put the jersey on, I can promise you. Our competition is very strong, though, and I’d like to think the group would be picked from our core base of players in the UK and our NRL players who have already played.”
Sinfield also stressed that he will not be directly involved with Bennett’s plans for the Four Nations unless he is personally asked by the Australian. He said: “I’ll be watching the Four Nations from afar. Unless Wayne needs me to be involved it’ll be from afar, but I’ll be available if he needs me to be.”
Sinfield will also be involved in the hunt for an English-based, full-time assistant for Bennett during his two-year tenure in charge, and the RFL chief executive, Nigel Wood, said that process and the recruitment of the new Super League general manager have both yet to be concluded.
“The general manager process is in the final stages but there’s no fixed date,” Wood said. “Kevin will rightly have a role in finding Wayne’s full-time assistant, as he should do. We haven’t had an on-field champion in the RFL for quite some time and it’s good to have such profile with Kevin coming in – but it is not a token appointment, it’s more than that.”
