Long urges fans to back Sinfield for SPOTY
St Helens legend Sean Long has urged the sport of rugby league to put their rivalries to one side to support Kevin Sinfield ahead of Sunday’s Sports Personality of the Year awards.
Saints’ assistant coach Long has SPOTY history himself, as part of the St Helens side that won Sports Personality Team of the Year in 2006 following their magnificent treble, in which they beat the Europe Ryder Cup team.
In 2015 however, the 39 year-old is hoping rugby league can finally claim it’s first ever winner of Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday, and believes it will be a major boost to the sport.
“Everyone involved with Rugby League should vote for Kevin for Sports Personality of the Year. 100 per cent,” he said.
“No matter who you support, I think fans from every club should vote for him as it’s not only a massive achievement for Kevin, but also a major achievement for the sport if he was to win it.”
“I think if fans get behind him, then it could take the sport forward and kick-on. It’s a big chance for Rugby League to gain some recognition so we should make the most of it.
Sinfield is alongside some of sport’s biggest names for the main prize on Sunday evening, but Sinfield’s ex-Great Britain teammate thinks he has as good of a chance as any to take the award.
“He’s got plenty of tough competition for the award, but I’m sure the whole of Rugby League will get behind him,” he said.
“Kids wanting to play Rugby League look up to him and he’s someone who I tell my kids to aspire to be like in the way he conducts himself and his lifestyle. Kevin is a great athlete and a great model who has achieved so much in the game, so he’s certainly got a good chance.”
Voting for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2015 on Sunday December 20 will be available over the phone (numbers will be provided on the night of the awards ceremony) and for free at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/spoty.
In order to vote online, you will need to be registered with the BBC sign in system, BBC iD, by visiting https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/id/register.
If you have already registered with BBC iD, then you only need to sign in on the day of the awards to cast your vote.