Why Leeds Rhinos' Jack Sinfield missed out on Halifax Panthers debut: clubmates 'outstanding' in big win

Sinfield played in Rhinos’ home win over London Broncos at the start of May and the following week’s loss at Catalans Dragons, but was dropped for last Friday’s 40-10 defeat away to St Helens. He was due to make his Betfred Championship debut for partner club Halifax instead, but missed Sunday’s game due to a “slight” hamstring niggle. The 19-year-old trained fully yesterday (Monday) and is expected to be available for Rhinos’ home derby against Castleford Tigers on Saturday.

Rhinos centre Ned McCormack, hooker Corey Johnson and second-row Leon Ruan did feature on dual-registration in Halifax’s 34-8 win against Doncaster. Panthers coach Liam Finn said: “Ned picked up a dead leg, he toughed it out until 77 minutes and was outstanding.

“Corey played 80 minutes in the middle and put in a big shift. He was outstanding out of dummy-half and was very direct.”

Finn admitted Panthers would have struggled to field a 17-man squad without Rhinos’ help. He stressed: “We are grateful to Leeds for our partnership and lending us those players. Those lads are not far off being in the first team at Leeds so it would be easy for them to say we are going to hold them back because we need them.”

Sinfield and McCormack trained with Panthers last Thursday and Friday, but Ruan - who had a spell on loan at his previous club Doncaster earlier this season - missed the final session because of 18th man duties for Rhinos at Saints.