New Leeds Rhinos sporting director role explained and implications for coach Rohan Smith

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Chief executive Gary Hetherington says Leeds Rhinos’ new sporting director will have ‘autonomy and freedom’ to make his or her own decisions.

Hetherington will hand over responsibility for Rhinos’ entire rugby operation when an appointment is made, which could be within the next few weeks. The Leeds chief denied he has anyone in mind for the role and insisted getting “the right person” on board is the number one priority.

Rhinos expect application from both within and outside the club and Hetherington insisted: “We want to see what comes forward, but clearly you need somebody who has experience and a track record as well.”

He said: “It has got to be a good fit and they have got to have a good understanding and appreciation of what our industry is about and what’s required in our case. The most important part is the first team’s results and performances and we want somebody who can be very much at the heart of that., but it is also looking after all the other elements of our rugby league operation: the women, the women’s academy, the scholarship, academy, reserves, player recruitment and development.”

Hetherington has led Rhinos’ performance department since he and chairman Paul Caddick took over the club at the end of the 1996 Super League season, other than from 2019-2021 when Kevin Sinfield was director of rugby. “Kevin was brought in to effectively oversee all the rugby league operation, which he did,” Hetherington said.

“Since he left it has got even bigger and more involved and more demanding in some respects, because there’s a lot more protocols with the RFL and so on. The whole thing has expanded.

“When Kevin did the job I basically stepped out of it altogether. People thought I had real difficulty doing that, but I didn’t because there’s plenty of other things to be occupied and involved with.

“Kevin effectively reported to me, as all the other executive directors do, but they are all very competent and need very little management. What they get from me is support, primarily. That will be the position with the new person who comes in.”

Though they aren’t formally advertising the post, Rhinos expect Wednesday’s announcement to generate a flurry of applications. The club hope to make an appointment in early June, but the chief executive stressed: “The most important thing is the right person.

“There’s no specific timescale, we don’t have to make an appointment within the next two weeks. We’ll give seven days for people to apply and there’ll be an interview process after that, but if the right people come along we can do it pretty sharpish.

“We want to get somebody up and running so they can get under the skin of our operation and organisation, get to know everybody and get an understanding of it and give some support to Rohan and the first team as well. Ideally it would be as soon as possible, but the most important thing is the right person for the role.”

Rhinos announced the new role three days before Saturday’s home derby with Castleford Tigers and at a time when coach Rohan Smith is under mounting pressure from fans over disappointing results and performances. After reaching the Betfred Super League Grand Final in Smith’s first season, Rhinos failed to qualify for the play-offs last year and are currently seventh in the table and in danger of missing out again.

Hetherington brought Smith to the club and has been supportive of the team boss throughout his two years at the helm, but confirmed the sporting director’s role will include appointing and retaining the playing and coaching staff. He said: “Obviously [the coach] will have a very close working relationship with the new person who comes onboard, in the way I have had with him and - until Kevin took over the role - all his predecessors as well. Part of the [sporting director’s] role is retention of players and staff and recruitment, working within the budget set by the club.

“They will have a relationship with me, like all the other directors have, but they will have plenty of autonomy and plenty of freedom. Whatever decisions they make, generally speaking, I will be supportive of them and the board will be as well. Kevin had that level of autonomy and freedom and responsibility as well, what comes with the job is substantial responsibility.”

The role is similar to the one previously held by Sinfield, but the sporting - rather than rugby - director title reflects the fact Rhinos’ operation also includes a top-flight netball side. Sinfield, whose son Jack is a member of the first team squad, left Rhinos three years ago to become a rugby union assistant coach at Leicester Tigers.

Earlier this year he announced he will leave his current position with England rugby union after the summer tour to Japan and New Zealand. That has fueled speculation over a possible return to Leeds, but he is also being strongly linked with the post of defensive coach at London club Harlequins.