Leeds Rhinos' Ash Handley talks England v France, 'all right' club form and hopes for new coach
Leeds Rhinos winger Ash Handley is aiming to take his outstanding club form on to the international stage this weekend.
Handley is set to make his third Test appearance when England take on France in Toulouse on Saturday. He scored a hat-trick in last year’s equivalent international, at Warrington, but was unavailable when England played Tonga in an autumn three-match series, because of injury.
Concussion ruled him out of Rhinos’ Betfred Super League victory over Leigh Leopards last week, but he confirmed he has been given the all-clear and stressed: “I just want to keep playing as well as I can, for my club and - hopefully - England as well, so I am really pleased to be in the mix again.”
With 11 tries to his name in 12 Super League appearances, Handley has been arguably Rhinos’ best individual so far in 2024. “My form has been all right,” he said. “Obviously we have struggled as a team of late at Leeds and just trying to stay consistent myself has been pretty difficult, but on the whole [his form] has been pretty positive. I started really well and I just want to try and keep that up.”
Of what has underpinned his impressive first half of the campaign, Handley insisted he hasn’t changed his approach this term, but revealed: “I just tried to stay really disciplined at the start of the year and I am trying to keep that going. I probably set a good base as standard in pre-season and carried that into the season. I am trying to stay as fit as I can, really.”
Rhinos are 15 rounds into their league campaign and the chance to do something different is welcome at this stage of the campaign. England went into camp on Wednesday and Handley reflected: “It is nice to be in a new environment.
“I really enjoyed it last year, it gave me a little bit of a boost so hopefully it is pretty similar to that. I am looking forward to getting away with the boys.”
Handley is one of three Rhinos players in England’s 20-man squad, alongside centre Harry Newman and second-rower James McDonnell who is set for his debut after featuring for Ireland in the 2022 World Cup. “I am really pleased for him,” Handley said of McDonnell’s surprise inclusion. “Macca has been going really well for us; he has been really consistent so I am looking forward to seeing him have a go and be involved in the camp.”
Though England are on a 22-match winning streak against France, the hosts are confident of a better showing after naming a strong squad which includes Leeds forwards Mickael Goudemand and Justin Sangare. Handley added: “That’s what you want, you want it to be a challenge and a good competitive game. I know it is going to be warm over there and I am really looking forward to the whole aspect of the camp and the game.”
If he comes through Saturday unscathed, Handley will be available for Rhinos’ next game, at home to London Broncos seven days later. They will look to take momentum from last week’s emotional win - in their first game at AMT Headingley since the death of club legend Rob Burrow - into that clash.
“It was a big win,” Handley stated. “It was frustrating not to be involved, but I put that to one side and just really wanted the boys to get the win. I thought they were fantastic.
“The young lads who stepped in for me and Harry on the left-edge, Ned [McCormack] and Alfie [Edgell] played really well, but we played really well as a team. I think the emotion came through, the boys came together and hopefully that can kick-start the season for us again.”
Assistant-coaches Chev Walker and Scott Grix took the team for last week’s game, two days after Rohan Smith left the club. Sporting director Ian Blease is leading the hunt for a permanent head-coach and reflecting on recent events, Handley admitted: “It has been pretty difficult.
“I think Rohan did a good job for us in terms of the whole team aspect and togetherness of the group, but obviously the performances haven’t been where they should be. We want to be up there challenging.
“Hopefully we can get the right person in to take control of the group and get the best out of us, but the responsibility is also on the players to perform better as a group. There’s a lot of work to be done, but I’m looking forward to it, hopefully it [the coaching situation] gets done pretty soon and we can move forward.”