Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Leeds Live
Leeds Live
Sport
Matthew Shaw

New Leeds Rhinos ace adapting to new club and language as he discusses quick improvements

Justin Sangare is quick to point out that he is working on his English when he agreed to an interview. The Frenchman is enhancing his communication skills while he gets to work on the field in new surroundings.

It's all part of a process the new Leeds Rhinos prop believes was pivotal for the sake of his career. Having impressed in his debut year at the top with relegated Toulouse Olympique, the powerhouse will now get another crack with one of the biggest teams across the globe.

It will come with its challenges, with no guarantee of first-team rugby and the task of adapting to a new country and away from home for the first time. However, the 24-year-old is in no mood to waste the chance presented to him.

Read more: Will Pryce lays out goals for Super League farewell tour amid worrying NRL message

"It wasn't an easy decision but I said to myself and to my wife that if I want to get to another level I need to move and make myself uncomfortable," he said. "That was why I decided to come to England. It was a dream, a kid's dream. It made me very happy that it has come true. It was a dream and now it has helped me a lot.

"I was very, I'm not sure how else to say this, but I was very happy and surprised. I didn't think a team like Leeds would be happy to have me in the team, that's why it was a surprise."

Sangare got his first taste of Headingley on Boxing Day, showing some promising patches during his first display in blue and amber. After an excellent World Cup for his country, the challenge is to now take his game to another level.

"How far can I go? I don't know, we will see. But I have seen a lot of improvements since I've come here. The coach has helped me a lot and I'm excited to see what I can do. I don't know how far we can go, but we will see. It's been very good so. Even the weather is sometimes very cold but that's OK because we still have the sun. And the people are very friendly, they are good people in England."

Read next

New Salford Red Devils signing swaps electrician job for Super League

Green card set for major role within rugby league after rule change

Inside Morgan Gannon's Leeds Rhinos training regime as he learns halfback role

Every Super League club's biggest story heading into 2023

Everything Andy Last said after Castleford Tigers' defeat to Featherstone Rovers

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.