Leeds Rhinos' Tom Nicholson-Watton keen for another chance v Hull FC after recall in Huddersfield Giants game

The 21-year-old made a brief appearance off the bench in the second half, after being recalled from a spell on loan at Betfred Championship club York Knights. He is regarded by Rhinos’ management as a player with a potentially bright future and Nicholson-Watton reflected: “It was nice to get on and get some Super League minutes under my belt.

“I’ve been going quite well in the Championship and doing my bit there and it was nice to know I can come straight in. I trained well through the week and felt good, but it was an unfortunate result.”

Nicholson-Watton made his Rhinos debut as a substitute in the final game of last season, a 46-0 thrashing of Castleford Tigers at AMT Headingley in September. He also had a six-match spell on loan at Keighley Cougars earlier in 2023.

The move to York was an opportunity to gain experience at a higher level than reserve rugby, keeping him in shape for a Leeds call-up if required. He said: “It has been very good for me, playing in the Championship.

“It is a tough league and it is making me better. It is testing me, playing against men every week and getting the match fitness I need when I come back here. That was proved [last Friday], I felt good on the pitch, felt fit so it is beneficial.”

The result took the shine off Nicholson-Watton’s first top-flight appearance of the season. Rhinos led 12-0 and 24-12, but defensive lapses allowed Giants to fight back in a see-saw second half. “Everyone’s disappointed,” the prop conceded.

“We are a very good team, but we need to be a very good team for 80 minutes. I think that’s where we went wrong. We just had a couple of bad patches, but we showed how dangerous we can be with the ball, with the tries we scored. We just need to do it for 80 minutes.”

Nicholson-Watton came into the squad in place of number 10 Tom Holroyd, who was sidelined after suffering concussion in the previous game against Warrington Wolves two weeks earlier. Three other forwards - James Bentley, Morgan Gannon and James Donaldson - were also ruled out and the youngster is ready for another shot, if given the call for Sunday’s game at Hull RC.

“We’ll see what happens,” he said. “I don’t know who we’ve got back, but I am always there to put my hand up. I love playing for Leeds and I love playing rugby.

“I am always there if they need me. I am only 21 and, especially playing in the middle, I’ve just got to take this [Friday’s experience] and learn from it, look at what I could have done better, what the team could have done better and how I can help that. It is a massive learning curve and I’ve still got a lot to do.”