I doubt there is anybody who doesn't realise just how significant a player he has been for us.

What they will notice more is how not so significant some others were, had they not had Sinfield around them.

Both peacocks and sinfields departure have worked out well for the club, if peacock cuts the mustard at HKR he can return to a similar role with the rhinos.
Sinfields departure to union ( money for old rope) means he is still around the place to return as assistant coach to bmd with a veiw to becoming head coach.
An added bonus should be freeing up of some salary cap money. Unfortunately nothing stays the same in sport, teams evolve, sometimes for the better sometimes for the worse.
We have all been privileged to have seen a special player and a splendid captain. I am absolutely certain we will see sinfield back in the rhinos set up at some future date,

It seems that GH and Caddick want to give the RU side another push to establish themselves in the Premiership, particularly after the rebranding of the club as Yorkshire Carnegie, possibly having seen how Exeter have managed to establish themselves in the top flight.

Recruiting the experience of McGeechan and Sinfield will be a fundamental part of that development.

Especially if the RU premiership consists of 14 clubs with no promotion/relegation as is strongly rumoured.
If that happens it will be a travesty for a so-called national competition if there are only 2 clubs covering the entire country north of Leicester - Sale & Newcastle.
So every chance that YC, as shareholders still in the premiership, will get a spot at the top table with the opportunity to grow, secure in a longer term future.

I thought Caddick no longer owned anything of the RU side? and that McGeechan actually did own part?

The union side is still owned by Leeds Rugby limited which own both Carnegie and the Rhinos. I assumed Caddick still owned majority of shares in LRL but I could be wrong.

I thought Leeds Rugby no longer owned the Union side? they just have a licence and tenancy agreement with them. New management companies owns the Union?

Maybe I just misread previously, but sure that was what it said.

Just spotted this on the Sinfield announcement.

Yorkshire Carnegie Rugby Union club play in the second tier of English club rugby, the Greene King IPA Championship. They are currently sixth in the table, six points off a play off place with three games, and a maximum of fifteen points, to play for. Ownership of the former club Leeds Carnegie was transferred from Leeds CF&A Co Ltd, to a group of new owners on 23rd December 2014, called Yorkshire Tykes Ltd. That company now wholly owns Yorkshire Carnegie and has a ten year service agreement with Leeds CF&A Co Ltd for the use of Headingley Carnegie Stadium, the Leeds Rugby Academy at Kirkstall and certain management services such as retail, ticketing, marketing, medical and commercial revenue generation.

So I think I am correct about Leeds Rugby not owning, and pretty sure Caddick wasn't part of the Yorkshire Tykes Ltd, but Hetherington was.

Its April 1st

Listening to Sinfield saying he hopes to be involved at some point over Easter it looks like he may not be playing Good Friday.I wonder if he's only going be played occasionally for rest of season

He has been playing below his high standards and TBH I thought it was down to fitness. Judging by this horrible weight he's been carrying around with him, knowing he is in his final year at Leeds has probably done him no favours either.

As Peacock mentions in his book a la the Bulls 2005, now that futures are sorted and the decks have been cleared, it really is time to push on and send these two legends out with a bang and as much silverwear as they can carry.

I don't really understand his decision to move to RU though clearly it is about time to retire at 34.
He could have easily gone somewhere like Wakefield and still been the king in a team with no superstars but I guess the financial prospects are better at YC.

What I do hope though, is that part of the deal is that he stays around teh Headingley club and will come back in as a coach or other role in Rugby League (presumably with Leeds)
If he is lost to the game in his twilight playing years it's just a bit irritating, but if he is lost to the game, and more so, excels in the other code, it is a travesty.

People keep mentioning about how he's going to make a nice little earner from his spell in RU....but it's not like he's going to Saracens or Bath, it's Carnegie in the 2nd tier. Can't imagine he's on a wage massively different to his Rhinos one.

In an extended story in today's YEP, he said he would've stayed at the Rhinos for the 2016 season had Carnegie not been interested so it wasn't like he was going to leave for any other club. If you think about that he's remained living in Oldham throughout his Leeds career and that apart from Sale and Leeds they really isn't any other RU oppptunities in a realistic geographical location for a guy whose has never felt the need/urge to locate nearer the club he played for for nearly 20 years, then it's unlikely he'd commit to a team down south for just 18 month.

I think he's also smart enough to know that at his age, Premiership RU clubs wouldn't be too keen on taking him as he only has a short while left and no RU experience.....by the time he's getting the hang of it it'll be retirement time.

I don't think it's anything to do with money to be honest. I'd be suprised if he's on any more at Carnegie than at the Rhinos. I reckon he realised his body isn't managing to keep going at the top level of SL anymore, hence the retirement from internationals and move from loose forward to stand off. A bit like Peacock taking on a new challenge at Hull KR, I think Sinfield sees giving Union a go as a new challenge yet can still stay affiliated with the club he loves.

Just as a bit of backup to that I looked up his tackling stats, they're ridiculous.

He's been in Leeds top 5 tacklers every year since 2003 (that's as far back as the stats go) except 2006.
He was Leeds top tackler in 2003, 2007, 2008 & 2009.
And since 2007 has been Leeds 2nd top tackler.

#of tackles 2007-2014:
Peacock - 5,218
Sinfield - 5,152
JJB - 4,667
Ablett - 3,986

It's no wonder he signed for Union, the lad needs a rest.

I'd be surprised if he'd be on as much at Carnegie as he is at the Rhinos.

Not sure how much Carnegie spend on player wages, but I'd be surprised if there's anyone in their squad pulling in more than £100k a year.