Kallum Watkins

Kallum Watkins
Personal information
Full name Kallum Paul Watkins[1]
Born (1991-03-12) 12 March 1991
Manchester, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)[2]
Weight 15 st 10 lb (100 kg)[2]
Playing information
Position Centre

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2007– Leeds Rhinos 233 126 101 0 706
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2012– England 25 12 0 0 48
As of 22 June 2018
Source: [3][4][5]

Kallum Paul Watkins (born 12 March 1991) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. He can play as a fullback, wing or centre. Watkins has earned representative honours for the England Under 17s team against the AIS, and in 2012 made the full England team scoring 4 tries in 3 starts at centre in the autumn international series.

Background

Watkins was born in Manchester, England to a Jamaican mother and an English father.

Early days

Watkins began his rugby league career at his local club Folly Lane (Pendlebury) before moving on to Salford Junior Academy. In 2007, after impressing in a trial at Leeds he signed a junior contract with the club.[6]

Leeds

2007: Leeds Academy and England under 17s

Kallum joined Leeds in 2007, having impressed during a trial period. In that first season with the Junior Academy he scored 13 tries in 20 appearances as they headed for Grand Final glory, where he scored the opening try in Leeds 26-16 win over St. Helens, and earned himself a place in the England U17 squad to play the AIS. His England U17s début was as a substitute in the first test against the Australian Institute of Sport at Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium. England lost 28-26, but Kallum helped the young Lions restore pride a week later with a 38-22 win at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats' Belle Vue [6]

2008: First grade début

He began 2008 in spectacular form for the Academy, scoring 11 tries in the opening five games of the season, including a hattrick against Hull Kingston Rovers in the first game of the season & four tries a week later against Castleford. His form saw him promoted to the Leeds first Grade squad in April 2008 at just sixteen years of age. He made his début against the then Celtic Crusaders in the Challenge Cup, scoring a try. He went on to make 4 further appearances in 2008 scoring 2 further tries, most notably against Bradford Bulls at the Millennium Magic weekend.[6]

2009: More game time

In 2009, Watkins became a more regular name on the Leeds team sheet. He made 13 appearances in all scoring 4 tries, including a spectacular length of the field interception try late on to beat Huddersfield at Headingley 20-12.[7]

Watkins playing for the Leeds Rhinos

2010: Knee reconstruction

2010 started with so much promise for the 18-year-old Watkins, starting in the Leeds first 6 games which included an appearance on the wing in the World Club Challenge defeat by the Melbourne Storm. Watkins started at fullback, wing, and centre in the 6 game stretch due to injuries to teammates however, on 14 March he injured his knee in the 26-20 defeat by Huddersfield, and had to have a knee reconstruction. Watkins did not play again that season.[8]

2011: Another bad injury

At the start of the 2011 season he was mainly used on the wing scoring 9 tries in 8 games including 4 against Wakefield Trinity. On 29 April 2011, while playing against Castleford in Leeds' 48-6 win, Watkins injured the ligaments in his wrist which saw him miss the next 12 weeks.[9] Later that year he played at centre for Leeds in the 2011 Challenge Cup Final which was lost to Wigan.

2012: future secured

Watkins was given a boost after 2 injury-ravaged seasons when he was handed the Number 3 Jersey by the Leeds Head Coach Brian McDermott. This signalled the intent that the coach sees him as the long term right centre at Leeds. Kallum also signed a new 5-year contract on 26 January, keeping him at Leeds until 2017 at the earliest [10]

Watkins scored the opening try in Leeds' 26–12 2012 World Club Challenge win over National Rugby League premiers Manly Sea Eagles on 17 February at Headingly.

Watkins playing for the Leeds Rhinos

2018: Captain

In January 2018 Watkins was named by Leeds as their captain for the 2018 season.[11]

Representative career

2012

Kallum made his International début for England in the 2012 Autumn International Series. He scored a try on début against Wales. He went on to score a total try tally of 4 tries in England's 3 tournament matches.

2013

In October and November, Kallum played for England in their 2013 Rugby League World Cup campaign. He played in all 5 of England's matches, scoring two tries.

2014

In October, England traveled down under to play in the Four Nations. Kallum scored two tries in England's 3 tournament matches.

2015

In October Kallum was named in England's 24-man squad for their test-series against New Zealand.[12] Before the series began England took on France in a test match at Leigh. Kallum scored his 9th career try in England's rout of their opponents.[13]

2016

In October, Kallum was named in England's 24-man squad for the 2016 Four Nations. Before the tournament began, Kallum played in England's test match against France.

Statistics

By competition

CompetitionGamesTriesGoalsF/GPoints
Super League3818-–76
Challenge Cup42-–8
World Club Challenge31-–4
Play Offs---–-
Total4524--96

[6]

Honours

Grand Final: 6

2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017

League Leaders Shield: 2

2009, 2015

Challenge Cup: 2

2014, 2015

World Club Challenge: 1

2012

References

  1. ↑ "Player Profile". Leeds Rhinos. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Kallum Watkins Leeds Rhinos". Superleague.co.uk. Rugby Football League. 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Players & Coaches: 1st Team: Kallum Watkins". Leeds Rhinos. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  7. ↑ Archived 8 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ "Kallum Watkins out for 12 weeks - Leeds Rhinos Rugby League News". Superleaguefans.com. 2011-04-30. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  10. ↑ "New five year deal for Watkins". Loverugbyleague.com. 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  11. ↑ "Burrow ready for coaching baptism". Leeds Rhinos. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "MCNAMARA NAMES 24-MAN SQUAD FOR 2015 INTERNATIONAL SERIES". englandrl.co.uk. 2015-10-11. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  13. ↑ "England demolish France 84-4 in record win". Skysports.com. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
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