Former Hull KR player hails current Robins coach as he starts new Super League role

Jamie Langley paid tribute to his time working with current Hull Kingston Rovers assistant coach Danny Ward after starting work today as Leeds Rhinos' new assistant coach.

Former Hull KR player Langley had been working as a coach at Sale Sharks in rugby union before moving back into rugby league with Leeds - having previously been a coach at London Broncos, where Ward was a head coach. Now Langley will work alongside Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur and fellow assistant coach Scott Grix.

Another former Hull KR player, Chev Walker, will work in a newly created role at Leeds - with Arthur reshaping the set-up - as transitional coach, which is common in the NRL. Rovers have already had Shaun Kenny-Dowall working in that role.

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Langley played for Hull KR in 2014 under Craig Sandercock after a successful decade as a Bradford Bulls player which included World Club Challenge wins. The 40-year-old has enjoyed starting life at Leeds Rhinos, where his father John played 240 games in the late 60s and early 70s and was a team-mate of David Ward, father of Danny Ward.

Langley said: "I worked down in London for six years with Wardy and Mike Eccles and I really enjoyed my time at London. It was a really good club and we had to fight and scrap for everything we had down there. It sort of forged a different mentality."

Reflecting on starting the new role, Langley said: “It's been a bit of a whirlwind, trying to remember names and getting used to the facilities. It's an unbelievable club, Leeds, with the history and the squad that they have put together this year are a really talented outfit.

"My dad played here in the great Leeds teams of the late 60s and early 70s. He had a great time here and he loved it. It was part time back then so a bit different but he managed to get a couple of Wembley appearances. Every now and again when I'd ask him he'd dust off his old medals and show us. But he's pretty humble and he keeps it to himself."

Rhinos sporting director Ian Blease said: “We have done a lot of work behind the scenes to secure the right person to join our backroom team and Jamie certainly fits that bill.”

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