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Leeds' Sinfield set for cross-code switch

Kevin Sinfield of England (centre) burst trough the tackle from Brett White of Australia (right) and Sam Thaiday of Australia during their Rugby League four nations final at Elland road, Leeds on November 14, 2009

Former England captain Kevin Sinfield is to make a cross-code switch from Leeds to their rugby union sister club Yorkshire Carnegie, the two teams announced on Tuesday. Sinfield, 34, joined Leeds aged 16 and led the club to six Super League title, three World Club Challenge crowns and one Challenge Cup. He has signed a two-year contract with Carnegie, beginning on November 1. The announcement of his departure at the season's end follows Jamie Peacock's revelation last week that he is due to take up a management role at Hull KR, robbing Leeds of two of their most influential players. "This was one of the toughest decisions of my career, but I know the time is right for me to finish my time in rugby league and embark on a new challenge with Yorkshire Carnegie," Sinfield said in a statement. "I never wanted to play against the Rhinos and throughout my career I have always had an admiration for rugby union and wanted to challenge myself in that code. "I am fortunate as a professional player in this era that opportunities like this exist for me and it is something I want to grab with both hands." While Leeds are currently seventh in Super League, Yorkshire Carnegie are sixth in English rugby union's second-tier Championship. But with former British and Irish Lions head coach Ian McGeechan at the helm as executive chairman and a new management structure in place, Carnegie hope to mount a strong challenge for promotion next season. Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington said: "If any player in the history of our club deserves the right to choose when he moves on to the next stage of his career, it is Kevin Sinfield. "He has been an inspirational leader on and off the field for Leeds Rhinos over the last decade and I think there can be little argument that the success we have enjoyed would not have been possible without him."