Lee Smith (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Lee Smith is an English rugby league
player who is currently in his second stint playing for the Leeds Rhinos
in the Super League
. He had a brief spell in rugby union
with the London Wasps
in the Guinness Premiership
.
Smith broke into the Rhinos first team in 2005 but still captained the Senior Academy team to Grand Final success in 2006 against Hull.
Smith further established himself as a first team player in 2006, making 21 appearances and scoring 9 tries.
In 2007 Smith made 21 appearances and scored 8 tries. Most notably the Rhinos fourth of five tries in the 33-6 Grand Final victory over St Helens.
He played in 2008 World Club Challenge
on 29 February at Elland Road in which Leeds beat Melbourne Storm 11-4.
The 2008 season was arguably Smith's best to date, making 25 appearances and scoring a joint career best 13 tries. The Rhinos again defeated St Helens to win the Grand Final, 24-16. Smith had to deputise at full-back after Brent Webb was ruled out after suffering a recurrence of a back injury sustained earlier in the season. Smith scored the Rhinos opening try, making it the second year in a row he had scored in the Grand Final. He was awarded the Harry Sunderland Trophy
(Man of the Match).
In 2009 Smith switched from his usual wing position to centre. This did not affect his try scoring record though as he again scored 13 tries, but in just 24 appearances. The Rhinos won the Grand Final for a record third season in a row & Smith marked, what should have been, his final game for the club with 2 tries in the 18-10 victory over St Helens. This meant Smith had scored in three consecutive Grand Finals.
tournament. He scored a try in the opening match against France & then scored a last minute try in England's second game against Tonga. He also came off the bench in the third game against Samoa. He then played in the final as England completed their unbeaten tournament with a 32-14 win, again over Tonga.
In 2008, Smith was selected to represent England at the World Cup
in Australia. He scored a hat trick in England's opening match against Papua New Guinea
but then only made one further appearance as England endured a disappointing tournament, crashing out in the semi-finals without winning another match.
Smith was selected for England again in 2009, for the inaugural Four Nations tournament. He scored a try in the victory over France and in the defeat to Australia but then missed out as England went on to lose in the final against Australia.
Smith's ex-girlfriend is former Emmerdale actress Verity Rushworth, best known for her role as Donna Windsor-Dingle in the ITV1 soap Emmerdale between 1998 & 2009.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player who is currently in his second stint playing for the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
in the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. He had a brief spell in rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
with the London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
in the Guinness Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
.
Early career
Smith attended Bruntcliffe High School in Morley, Leeds. He joined the Leeds Rhinos academy as a teenager and was named Senior Academy Player of the Year in 2003, with the team winning their Grand Final.Smith broke into the Rhinos first team in 2005 but still captained the Senior Academy team to Grand Final success in 2006 against Hull.
Leeds Rhinos
Smith made his debut for the Rhinos first team on 28 March 2005 against the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. He went on to make 10 appearances in his first season, scoring an impressive 8 tries.Smith further established himself as a first team player in 2006, making 21 appearances and scoring 9 tries.
In 2007 Smith made 21 appearances and scored 8 tries. Most notably the Rhinos fourth of five tries in the 33-6 Grand Final victory over St Helens.
He played in 2008 World Club Challenge
2008 World Club Challenge
The 2008 Carnegie World Club Challenge was contested between Super League XII champions, the Leeds Rhinos and National Rugby League season 2007 premiers, the Melbourne Storm. For the fifth consecutive year the English home team defeated their Australian counterparts.-Leeds Rhinos:Leeds Rhinos...
on 29 February at Elland Road in which Leeds beat Melbourne Storm 11-4.
The 2008 season was arguably Smith's best to date, making 25 appearances and scoring a joint career best 13 tries. The Rhinos again defeated St Helens to win the Grand Final, 24-16. Smith had to deputise at full-back after Brent Webb was ruled out after suffering a recurrence of a back injury sustained earlier in the season. Smith scored the Rhinos opening try, making it the second year in a row he had scored in the Grand Final. He was awarded the Harry Sunderland Trophy
Harry Sunderland Trophy
The Harry Sunderland Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in the Super League Grand Final by the Rugby League Writers' Association. It is named after Harry Sunderland, who was an Australian rugby league football administrator in both Australia and the United Kingdom...
(Man of the Match).
In 2009 Smith switched from his usual wing position to centre. This did not affect his try scoring record though as he again scored 13 tries, but in just 24 appearances. The Rhinos won the Grand Final for a record third season in a row & Smith marked, what should have been, his final game for the club with 2 tries in the 18-10 victory over St Helens. This meant Smith had scored in three consecutive Grand Finals.
London Wasps
On 23 June 2009 Smith signed a two-year contract to join Rugby Union side the London Wasps after the Super League season had ended. Smith made just one appearance for the Wasps, in a 9-3 victory against the Newcastle Falcons in the LV Cup on 7 February 2010, before his contract was mutually terminated. It is understood that Smith missing his home, family & friends were the reason behind the termination.Return to the Rhinos
After what was one of the shortest code switches in history, Smith signed a three and a half year deal with former club the Leeds Rhinos. He was given the number 28 shirt. Smith effectively made his second debut for the Rhinos on 1 April 2010 against the Bradford Bulls, scoring 2 tries in a 20-20 draw. Smith went on to make a further 22 appearances in 2010, scoring a further 8 tries.Representative career
Smith represented England at U17 and U18 level before being selected in 2006, along with six of his Rhinos team mates, to represent England in the Federation ShieldFederation Shield
-Standings:-Final:Rob Purdham captained the victorious England side in this tournament, with Matt Diskin as the vice-captain. The Paul Cullen coached side entered the final as favourites following a successful group stage with three wins from three matches....
tournament. He scored a try in the opening match against France & then scored a last minute try in England's second game against Tonga. He also came off the bench in the third game against Samoa. He then played in the final as England completed their unbeaten tournament with a 32-14 win, again over Tonga.
In 2008, Smith was selected to represent England at the World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
in Australia. He scored a hat trick in England's opening match against Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
but then only made one further appearance as England endured a disappointing tournament, crashing out in the semi-finals without winning another match.
Smith was selected for England again in 2009, for the inaugural Four Nations tournament. He scored a try in the victory over France and in the defeat to Australia but then missed out as England went on to lose in the final against Australia.
Personal life
As well as being a life long Rhinos fan, Smith is also a big Leeds United Football Club supporter and attended the 2006 Championship Play-Off Final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Sadly for Smith, Leeds lost 3-0 to Watford FC.Smith's ex-girlfriend is former Emmerdale actress Verity Rushworth, best known for her role as Donna Windsor-Dingle in the ITV1 soap Emmerdale between 1998 & 2009.