Soccer pundit Lawrenson hails Sinfield’s rugby league toughness

Kevin Sinfield has received the backing of BBC Sport football pundit Mark Lawrenson for the Sports Personality of the Year award for 2015.

Although Sinfield faces stiff competition from the likes of Andy Murray and Jessica Ennis for the award, Lawrenson feels that anyone who plays a game as tough as rugby league should be seriously considered.

“Everybody in sport knows Kevin Sinfield. Everybody,” he told Prostate Cancer UK’s Youtube channel.

“And I tell you what, if you go to those games, they are the toughest sportsmen ever.

“They’re tougher than rugby union – much, much tougher.

“And they play with unbelievable injuries.

“I saw a game the other week, going up to the play-offs. One fella dislocated his thumb.

“Normally, in football, you’d be out for three weeks, and the trainer would come on and you’d go on a stretcher.

“He just looked at it, the camera’s right on him, and he just put it back.

“You think, ‘Oh my God, how tough are these?’

“Kevin Sinfield is one of them.”