Kevin Sinfield reveals how he almost signed for Wigan Warriors

He is arguably one of the greatest players Leeds Rhinos have ever had – and certainly their finest ever captain: but Kevin Sinfield almost became a Wigan player as a teenager.

Sinfield enjoyed one of the most decorated careers of any rugby league player in history during a stellar career at Leeds that lasted 20 years from signing his first deal all the way through to retirement at the end of the 2015 treble-winning season.

He is still revered as one of the club’s greatest products as part of the ‘Golden Generation’ alongside the likes of Danny McGuire and the late, great Rob Burrow.

But Sinfield has revealed for the first time how he was on the brink of signing for Wigan as a 13-year-old before Leeds came in at the very last moment and made Sinfield and his family an offer he couldn’t refuse.

He had spent a whole pre-season with the Warriors in 1994 and was also holding talks with Warrington before Doug Laughton convinced Sinfield and his family that Leeds were the right club for him. It is safe to say that Sinfield made the right decision judging by how his career panned out.

Speaking on the Stick to Rugby Podcast with former Wigan player Scott Quinnell and legendary rugby union star Lawrence Dallaglio, Sinfield explained how his move to the Rhinos came about.

He said: “Basically I was playing in Lancashire, in the Lancashire competition, as Oldham teams did. Every other weekend you were in Wigan, Warrington or St Helens. Back then the scouts were just trying to sign anyone from the age of 11 upwards who could catch, pass and tackle.

“But in Yorkshire it was a very different mindset. They would just sign one or two kids from each age group and work with them, and spend a lot of time on them. I spent a full pre-season at Wigan and was very close to signing for Wigan in 1994. I would have been 13 at the time.

“I was very close with them and with Warrington. But at the 11th hour, my parents got a call from Leeds and we visited the stadium.

“Obviously you’ve both been but the cricket and rugby ground together is so impressive, and my mum and dad fell in love with the place.

“Doug Laughton promised my parents he’d do everything he could, and you should never believe everything a head coach tells you when you’re 13 because the likelihood is he won’t be there when you’re old enough to play.

“But the club seemed a family club and were willing to develop. From that point in signing pro at 13, I was there every single week.”

The whole podcast, which covers Sinfield’s on-field career and his unbelievable fundraising efforts alongside Burrow post-playing, can be listened to here.

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