Leeds Rhinos youngster Riley Lumb talks 2-try debut, reveals preferred role, aims for Super League run

Lumb scored two of Leeds’ three tries in last Sunday’s 18-12 win at Hull FC and, with Rhinos’ first-choice wingers and both centres on the casualty list, is set to keep his place against Betfred Super League’s bottom-placed team. The 19-year-old revealed treating it like any other match was the key to his first senior appearance and will take the same approach this week, if selected.

“I am happy with how I played,” Lumb reflected. “I worked hard in training and I was just happy to be out on the field. It couldn’t have gone any better for me, really. I just worked hard and played like I normally do.”

Collecting a testing high kick inside the opening five minutes gave Lumb a boost of confidence and his first try followed soon afterwards. “I’ve been practising that in training, getting up for the high ball,” he recalled.

“As soon as I did that I got into the game. For the first try I just saw some space and backed myself and managed to get there. The second one, I just got a finger tip on it, but that’s all you need. It was a good kick from Brodie [Croft] and I was just happy to get there.”

Coach Rohan Smith told Lumb last Thursday he would be making his debut so the Castleford-based rookie had three days to prepare. He said: “I kept saying to myself ‘it’s another game’. I just tried to get into that mental state to prepare and I felt good. Hopefully I can get a few more games under my belt this season and keep going well. I might have a few more games coming up, but I’ll just have to see what happens.”

Lumb rose through Rhinos’ scholarship and academy before joining the first team squad ahead of last season. His first competitive game at professional level came just a week before his Leeds debut, when he featured for Halifax Panthers on dual-registration in the Betfred Championship.

Halifax were well beaten by Sheffield Eagles, but he was named the home side’s man of the match. He said: “It was good to play Championship for the first time and get used to getting whacked around by a few big blokes, so it definitely helped knowing I can cope physically and take the contact.”

Though he has played full-back in the past and was at centre for Halifax, Smith reckons Lumb’s immediate future is on a wing. The player said: “I don’t mind anywhere as long as I am on the field, but wing is probably my preferred position. I have played there since I was young.”

Leeds will look to end a four-game home losing streak against London and Lumb feels they’ll go into the game with confidence, despite the dour nature of last week’s victory. “The boys grafted,” he said. “We did a lot of defence on our tryline and worked well for each other and we were happy to get the two points.”