Sinfield to call time on glittering 20-year rugby career

Kevin Sinfield has announced that he will retire from all forms of rugby at the end of the current rugby union season in May.

The former Leeds and England rugby league captain, who turns 36 in September, switched codes with the Rhinos' sister club Yorkshire Carnegie last November and had another 12 months left on his contract.

However, Sinfield announced at a press conference at Headingley on Wednesday his intention to hang up his boots after receiving several job offers.

Sinfield said: "I have been privileged and deeply honoured to have enjoyed a 20-year career as a professional rugby player and to retire on my own terms rather than through injury is something I feel lucky to be able to do.

"I have always said that some day I will need to get a proper job and that day has now come.

"A number of opportunities have become available to me for life after rugby and I need to make the right decision for me and my family.

"However, before then we have got hopefully four massive games ahead of us, starting this Sunday against a very good Doncaster side at Headingley Carnegie."

In his glittering 19-season professional career in rugby league, Sinfield led Leeds to seven Grand Final victories, back-to-back Challenge Cup triumphs and three World Club Challenge successes.

He was awarded an MBE in the 2014 Queens' Birthday Honours and was runner-up to Andy Murray in the BBC Sports Personality Awards last December.