Leeds Rhinos captain Kevin Sinfield has announced that he will switch rugby league for rugby union and join sister club Yorkshire Carnegie at the end of the Super League season later this year.
The 34-year-old former England skipper has led the Rhinos to six Super League titles, three World Club Challenges and one Challenge Cup success since making his debut at the age of 16.
"This was one of the toughest decisions of my career but I know the time is right for me to finish my time in rugby league and embark on a new challenge with Yorkshire Carnegie," Sinfield told a press conference this afternoon.
"I never wanted to play against the Rhinos and throughout my career I have always had an admiration for Rugby Union and wanted to challenge myself in that code.
"I am fortunate as a professional player in this era that opportunities like this exist for me and it is something I want to grab with both hands."
After seven rounds of the 2015 Super League, Leeds are top of the standings, but they will lose two talismanic figures at the end of the season in Sinfield and Jamie Peacock, who is to become a coach at Hull Kingston Rovers.
