Leeds Rhinos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Leeds Rhinos

Club information
Full name	Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Rhinos The Loiners
Colours	Blue and Amber
Founded	1870; 155 years ago (1870) (as Leeds St John's)
Current details
Ground(s)	AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium (19,700)
Chairman	Paul Caddick
Coach	Brad Arthur
Captain	Cameron Smith and Ash Handley
Competition	Super League
2024 season	8th
Uniforms
Home colours Away colours Third colours
Records
Championships	11 (1961, 1969, 1972, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017)
Challenge Cups	14 (1910, 1923, 1932, 1936, 1941, 1942, 1957, 1968, 1977, 1978, 1999, 2014, 2015, 2020)
World Club Challenges	3 (2005, 2008, 2012)
Other honours	37
Most capped	625 - John Holmes
Highest points scorer	3,967 - Kevin Sinfield

The Leeds Rhinos are a professional rugby league club from Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. They play their home games at AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium. The team competes in the Super League, which is the top rugby league competition in Britain.

The Leeds Rhinos have won many important titles. They have won the League Championship 11 times, the Challenge Cup 14 times, and the World Club Challenge three times. They have strong rivalries with other West Yorkshire teams like the Huddersfield Giants and Bradford Bulls. The Rhinos' traditional home colours are blue and amber shirts with white shorts and blue socks.

Club History

How the Rhinos Started: 1870–1895

The Leeds Rhinos club began in 1870 as "Leeds St John's." They were also known as the "Old Blue and Ambers." At first, only church members could join, but soon anyone could. They played at the Militia Barracks before moving to Cardigan Fields in Leeds.

In 1887, Leeds St John's played in their first cup final, the Yorkshire Cup, but lost to Wakefield Trinity. In 1888, a group of Leeds citizens bought land to create a major sports club. This land became what is now Headingley Stadium.

Leeds St John's played their last season under that name in 1889–90. The next season, they became the football part of Leeds Cricket, Football and Athletic Co Ltd. Their first game at Headingley Stadium was on September 20, 1890.

Joining the Northern Union: 1895–1920

In 1895, Leeds decided to join the new Northern Union, which was a big change for rugby. Leeds played their first Northern Union game on September 7, 1895, winning 6–3 against Leigh.

A plaque celebrating the start of Rugby League in 1895

In 1901, the Leeds Parish Church team stopped playing and their players joined Leeds. Leeds then joined the new Northern Rugby League in 1902 and quickly moved up to the top division.

Leeds team from 1899–1900

In 1910, Leeds won their first major trophy, the Challenge Cup. They beat Hull F.C. in a replay after the first game was a draw. The final score was 26–12.

During the First World War, many players went to fight. The regular league games were stopped. Leeds played in an "Emergency League" and even played some rugby union games. In 1915, Leeds reached the Championship final but lost to Huddersfield.

Between the Wars: 1921–1942

In 1921, Harold Buck became the first rugby player to be transferred for £1,000 when he moved to Leeds from Hunslet.

In 1934, Leeds and Wakefield Trinity played in the Yorkshire Cup final. It took three games to decide the winner, with Leeds finally winning the trophy. Over 52,000 fans watched these three games!

In 1937, Leeds paid a record £1,400 to sign Vic Hey from Australia. This was such a big deal that the rugby league stopped international transfers for a few years.

In 1938, Leeds played against their neighbours Hunslet in the Championship final. The game was held at Elland Road football ground, and over 54,000 people watched, which was a record for a rugby league match in England at the time. Hunslet won the game 8–2.

Leeds won the Challenge Cup twice in a row in 1941 and 1942, beating Halifax both times.

After World War II: 1950–1960

After the Second World War, Leeds struggled to win big trophies for a while. However, in 1957, they won their first Challenge Cup since the war. This showed that a strong young team was starting to form.

In 1960, the team, known as "the Loiners," started to become a dominant force. They signed new players and were crowned Champions for the first time in 1961. They beat Warrington 25–10 in the Championship Final.

Championship Success: 1960–1980

In the late 1960s, Leeds often finished at the top of the league. In 1968, they played in a very famous Challenge Cup final at Wembley, known as the "watersplash final" because of heavy rain. Leeds won 11–10 in a dramatic finish.

The Championship trophy returned to Headingley in 1969 after a tough final against Castleford. In 1970, Leeds lost the Championship final to St. Helens, but they beat St Helens later that year in the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy.

Leeds reached the Wembley final again in 1971 and 1972 but lost both times. However, they won their third Championship title in 1972. They also won the Regal Trophy in 1973 and the Premiership in 1975. They won the Yorkshire Cup seven times between 1969 and 1980.

In 1977, Leeds won the Challenge Cup. They repeated this success in 1978, making a record comeback from 10–0 down to beat St Helens at Wembley. They also won another Premiership in 1979. After these wins, the team went through a quieter period in the 1980s.

The "Nearly Men" Era: 1980–1996

During the 1980s and early 1990s, Leeds didn't win many major trophies. Their main wins were the 1984 John Player Trophy and the Yorkshire County Cup in 1980 and 1988. They reached several finals but often ended up as runners-up.

Leeds on the attack against Workington Town in August 1994

Leeds returned to the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley in 1994 and 1995, both times playing against Wigan. Unfortunately, Wigan won both matches.

The Super League Era Begins: 1996–2003

In 1996, the top British rugby league clubs started playing in the new Super League competition, changing from a winter to a summer season. In 1997, the club changed its name to Leeds Rhinos.

In 1998, the Rhinos reached the first-ever Grand Final at Old Trafford, but they were beaten by Wigan. In 1999, Leeds finally won their first trophy in a decade, the Challenge Cup, beating London 52–16 at Wembley.

In 2000, Leeds reached the Challenge Cup Final again but lost to Bradford. In 2003, Leeds reached the Challenge Cup final once more, but Bradford beat them 22–20.

The Golden Era: 2004–2017

Leeds celebrating their 2008 Grand Final victory

The Rhinos ended their 32-year wait for a league championship by winning the 2004 Super League Grand Final. This started a very successful period for the club. As champions, Leeds played in the 2005 World Club Challenge and beat the Australian champions, Canterbury Bulldogs.

Leeds won the Grand Final in 2007. More success followed in 2008 when Leeds beat another Australian team, Melbourne Storm, in the 2008 World Club Challenge. Leeds then won the Super League championship again in the Grand Final, becoming champions two years in a row. They made history in 2009 by winning a third consecutive league title in the 2009 Super League Grand Final.

After not winning a trophy in 2010, Leeds had a mixed start to the 2011 season. However, they made it to the play-offs and went on to win the 2011 Super League Grand Final. They reached the Challenge Cup Final in 2012 but were runners-up. The Rhinos successfully defended their Super League title by winning the 2012 Super League Grand Final.

In 2013, Leeds didn't win any trophies. However, in 2014, they finally won the Challenge Cup again after a long wait, beating Castleford Tigers at Wembley.

Winning the Treble in 2015

Leeds had an amazing season in 2015. They won the Challenge Cup, the League Leaders Shield (for finishing top of the league), and the Grand Final. This meant they won the "treble," a rare achievement in rugby league. They were only the third team in the Super League era to do this.

After their best-ever season in 2015, Leeds struggled in 2016. They had to fight to stay in the Super League, but they managed to do so. The next season, 2017, was a return to form. They finished second in the league and then beat Castleford 24–6 in the Grand Final, winning their 11th league title.

Recent Years: 2018–Present

After their success in 2017, 2018 was another tough year for the club. They finished 9th in the league and just avoided relegation.

For the 2019 season, former player David Furner became head coach. After a difficult start, he was replaced by Richard Agar. Agar helped the club stay in the Super League and was given the job permanently.

The 2020 Super League season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, Leeds reached their first Challenge Cup final in five years and beat Salford 17–16. This was their first major trophy since the "Golden Era."

In the 2021 Super League season, Leeds finished 5th and made it to the play-offs. They beat Wigan but then lost to St Helens in the semi-final.

Leeds had a difficult start to the 2022 Super League season, winning only one of their first ten games. Coach Richard Agar resigned and was replaced by Rohan Smith. Under Smith, Leeds improved greatly, winning 13 of their next 18 games. They reached the 2022 Super League Grand Final after beating Catalans Dragons and Wigan in the play-offs. In the Grand Final, Leeds lost 24–12 to St Helens RFC.

In the 2023 Super League season, Leeds finished 8th and did not make the play-offs. They also had some big losses, including 61–0 against Catalans Dragons and 50–0 against Wigan. Leeds finished the 2024 Super League season in the same position. Rohan Smith stepped down as head coach and Brad Arthur took over.

Team Colours and Badge

Team Colours

Leeds plays in their traditional home colours of blue and amber. Their home kits are usually blue with an amber band across the chest and on the arms. Between 2011 and 2013, Leeds wore pink away kits to help raise money for breast cancer charities.

Team Badge

Before 1996, when the Super League started, Leeds was known as Leeds RLFC or Leeds Loiners. They used the city's crest on their kits. In 1996, when they became the Leeds Rhinos, they got a new badge. The new badge is mostly blue and features a rhino, with the word "Rhino" above it and "Leeds" at the top.

Home Stadium

Leeds has played at Headingley since 1890. The club owns the rugby ground, which is next to the cricket ground used by Yorkshire County Cricket Club. The North Stand of the rugby ground is right next to the cricket ground.

The Carnegie Stand was built in 2006, increasing the stadium's capacity to 21,000. Between 2017 and 2019, the stadium was greatly improved. The South and North Stands were rebuilt with modern designs. The new North Stand has a large corporate area that looks over both the rugby and cricket pitches.

A panorama of Headingley Stadium during a match

Kit Sponsors and Manufacturers

Leeds has had several shirt sponsors over the years. In 1994, they signed a big 10-year deal with Tetley's Brewery. The Rhinos' current main shirt sponsors, Leeds Building Society, have been with the club for a long time. In 2023, they extended their sponsorship, making it the longest shirt sponsorship deal for any English rugby team. Since 2020, the club's kits have been made by the UK company Oxen.

Team Mascot

Ronnie the Rhino, the mascot of Leeds Rhinos

Ronnie the Rhino is the fun mascot of the Leeds Rhinos. He helps get the crowd excited before matches and at half-time. Ronnie often plays games with children. He also visits schools as part of the Leeds Rhinos Community project, teaching kids about sports and healthy living.

Team Rivalries

In the early Super League years, Leeds' main rivals were the Bradford Bulls. They played each other in two Grand Finals, with Leeds winning in 2004. However, the Bulls now play in lower leagues, so they don't play competitive games often. Leeds also has a rivalry with Hunslet, another team from Leeds. They play annually for the Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Cup. A record 54,112 fans watched Leeds and Hunslet play in the 1938 Championship Final.

Leeds also has West Yorkshire rivalries with the Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Trinity. They play Wakefield every Boxing Day in a special match called the Festive Challenge.

Since the Super League started, Leeds has had a big rivalry with St. Helens. These two teams have been the most successful in the Super League era. Leeds also has rivalries with Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves, often playing them in important cup and Grand Finals.

Current Squad (2025)

Player Transfers (2025)

Players Joining the Team

Player	From	Contract	Date
Ryan Hall	Hull Kingston Rovers	1 year	22 April 2024
Cooper Jenkins	Norths Devils	2 years	7 October 2024
Keenan Palasia	Gold Coast Titans	2 years	7 October 2024
Jake Connor	Huddersfield Giants		9 October 2024
Maika Sivo	Parramatta Eels	3 years	26 October 2024
Ethan Clark-Wood	Tweed Heads Seagulls	1 year	10 February 2025
Kallum Watkins	Salford Red Devils	1.5 years	8 April 2025

Players Leaving the Team

Player	To	Contract	Date
Mickaël Goudemand	[[File:|12px|]] Racing Club Albi XIII	2 years	27 June 2023
James Donaldson	Bradford Bulls	2 years	21 August 2024
Rhyse Martin	Hull Kingston Rovers	2 years	28 August 2024
Leon Ruan			19 December 2024
Corey Johnson	Sheffield Eagles	2 years	3 November 2024
Justin Sangare	Salford Red Devils	2 years	12 November 2024
Kieran Hudson	York Knights	1 year	19 December 2024
Paul Momirovski	FC Lézignan XIII	1 Year	21 December 2024
Luis Roberts	[[File:|12px|]] Midlands Hurricanes	1 Year	21 February 2025

Players on Loan

Player	To	Contract	Date
Toby Warren	Salford Red Devils	1 season - loan	8 April 2025
Matt Frawley	Huddersfield Giants	1 month - loan	18 June 2025

Players Released

Player	Date
David Fusitu'a	5 September 2024

Team Players and Awards

Harry Sunderland Trophy Winners

The Harry Sunderland Trophy is given to the best player in the Super League Grand Final.

Season	Recipient
1968–69	Bev Risman
1971–72	Terry Clawson
1974–75	Mel Mason
1978–79	Kevin Dick
2004	Matt Diskin
2007	Rob Burrow
2008	Lee Smith
2009	Kevin Sinfield
2011	Rob Burrow
2012	Kevin Sinfield
2015	Danny McGuire
2017	Danny McGuire

Lance Todd Trophy Winners

The Lance Todd Trophy is given to the best player in the Challenge Cup Final.

Season	Recipient	Position
1957	Jeff Stevenson	Scrum-half
1977	Steve Pitchford	Prop
1999	Leroy Rivett	Wing
2003	Gary Connolly †	Fullback
2005	Kevin Sinfield †	Loose forward
2014	Ryan Hall	Wing
2015	Tom Briscoe	Wing
2020	Richie Myler	Fullback

† = Won Lance Todd Trophy while on the losing team

Man of Steel Winners

The Man of Steel Award is given each year to the most outstanding player in British rugby league.

Year	Winner	Position
1977	David Ward	Hooker
1991	Garry Schofield	Stand-off
1998	Iestyn Harris	Stand-off
2015	Zak Hardaker	Full-Back

Golden Boot Winners

The Golden Boot Award is given to the player judged to be the best in the world each year.

Year	Winner
1990	Garry Schofield
2012	Kevin Sinfield

Hall of Fame

The Rhinos started a hall of fame in 2017 to honour their best players. To be included, players usually need to have:

• Played at least 150 games for the club.
• Made a special contribution to rugby in Leeds.
• Played for their country.
• Been retired for at least five years.

Year	Name	Years	Apps	Tries	Goals	Points
2017	Keith McLellan	1951–1958	215	69	5	217
	Lewis Jones	1952–1964	385	144	1244	2920
	John Holmes	1968–1990	625	153	539	1554
	David Ward	1971–1986	482	40	2	143
2018	Joe Thompson	1923–1933	390	53	862	1883
	Bev Risman	1966–1970	164		611
	Jeff Stevenson	1952–1959	228	67
	Garry Schofield	1987–1996	251	147	64	746
2019	Barrie McDermott	1996–2005	283	40	0	160
	Eric Harris	1930–1939	383	391	16	1208
	Syd Hynes	1965–1975	366	158	156	850
	John Atkinson	1966–1982	518	340	0	1020
2020	Arthur Clues	1947–1954	238	74	0	222
	Fred Webster	1902–1920	543	76	4	236
	Les Dyl	1970–1985	434	193	11	604
	Rob Burrow	2004–2017	493	198	157	1111
2021	Jim Brough	1925–1944	442	34	82	266
	Don Robinson	1956–64	296	63		189
	Alan Smith	1962–1983	469	283		849
	Kevin Sinfield	1997–2015	521	86	1792 + 39 drop goals	3967

Club Staff

First Team Coaching Staff

Position	Staff
First Team Coach	Brad Arthur
Assistant Coaches	Chev Walker & Scott Grix
Rugby General Manager	Matt Cook
Performance Director	Richard Hunwicks
Head of Analysis	James Bletsoe
Kit Manager	Glynn Bell

Club Officials

• Chairman: Paul Caddick
• Chief Executive: Gary Hetherington
• Commercial Director: Rob Oates
• Finance Director: Peter Hirst
• Legal Director: Chris Ross
• Non-Executive Director: Jeffery Walton
• Club President: Andrew Thirkill

Team Honours

League Titles

• First Division / Super League Winners (11): 1960–61, 1968–69, 1971–72, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017
• Premiership Winners (2): 1974–75, 1978–79
• Yorkshire League Winners (15): 1901–02, 1927–28, 1930–31, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1950–51, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1960–61, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70

Cup Wins

• Challenge Cup Winners (14): 1909–10, 1922–23, 1931–32, 1935–36, 1940–41, 1941–42, 1956–57, 1967–68, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1999, 2014, 2015, 2020
• League Cup Winners (2): 1972–73, 1983–84
• BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Winners (1): 1970–71
• Yorkshire Cup Winners (17): 1921–22, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1958–59, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1988–89

International Titles

• World Club Challenge Winners (3): 2005, 2008, 2012

Club Records

Team Records

• Biggest win: 102-0 against Coventry at Headingley in 1913.
• Biggest loss: 74-0 against New Zealand at Headingley on October 8, 2022.
• Highest all-time attendance: 40,175 against Bradford at Headingley on May 21, 1947.
• Highest Super League attendance: 23,246 against Castleford at Elland Road on March 23, 2018.

Player Records

Most appearances for the club

Famous Supporters

Many famous people support the Leeds Rhinos, including:

• Actors: Matthew Lewis, Sean Bean
• Presenters: Gabby Logan, Chris Hollins, Sue Barker, Clare Balding
• Athletes: Wayne Rooney, Tim Henman, Boris Becker, Alistair Brownlee, Jonathan Brownlee, Jonny Bairstow, Peter Wright, Jon Wilkin
• Other: Danyl Johnson, Nicky Campbell, Sean Morley (wrestler), Martin O'Neill, Steve Walford, Alex Brooker, Ben Darwin

Other Teams at Leeds Rhinos

Since 2017, Leeds Rhinos has also had a women's rugby league team and a netball team. Both teams play in the top leagues for their sports.

Since 2018, they have also started teams for players with physical disabilities and learning disabilities. They also have a wheelchair rugby team that plays in the RFL Wheelchair Super League.

See also

In Spanish: Leeds Rhinos para niños