LONG TO BECOME ASSISTANT COACH AT LEEDS RHINOS
Former Great Britain Rugby League international Sean Long is set to return to Rugby League as Assistant Coach to Richard Agar at Leeds Rhinos ahead of the 2021 Betfred Super League season.
Long has been part of the coaching set-up with Rugby Union side Harlequins since July 2019, but the 2000 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel will return to Rugby League next year.
The 44-year-old spent 13 years with St Helens making over 300 appearances for the club and helping them to four Betfred Super League Grand Final victories, five Coral Challenge Cup triumphs, two World Club Challenge wins and League Leaders’ Shield on five occasions.
Long also featured for Great Britain Rugby League on 15 occasions as well as spending time with Wigan Warriors, Widnes Vikings and Hull FC either side of his lengthy spell at Saints.
He began his coaching career with Salford Red Devils in 2011 before also being Assistant Coach to former teammate Kieron Cunningham and then Justin Holbrook at St Helens.
Long said: “I am looking forward to working with Richard Agar again after our time at Hull.
“I have a massive amount of respect for Leeds as a club, they are one of the biggest clubs in the world and as soon as I got the call off Kev [Sinfield] and Rich, it was no brainer to join the club.”
He added: “I am looking forward to working with the half-backs at the Rhinos. It is a massive part of what I do.
“As an ex half-back, I want to pass on what I have learnt to them and hopefully we can all get to a better place as a team.
“Game management, the kicking game and reading defences is something that excites me. Leeds have always had great young players coming through and I am looking forward to developing them but also working with top class talent like Luke Gale, Rob Lui and Richie Myler.”
Leeds Rhinos Director of Rugby, Kevin Sinfield, said: “We are very pleased to have agreed with Sean to join the club for next season.
“Sean has a great relationship with Richard Agar having played under him at Hull FC. He is also well known to our group of players.
“Last winter Sean regularly joined us in pre-season and gave valuable insight to the group and especially our half-backs and it is great that we can now bring him in on a full-time basis.”