England had a unique change of scenery for the second fallow week of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations, as Steve Borthwick’s side trekked up to York for a mini training week. The stars of the England team will give the York natives a rare glimpse at their rugby union heroes, when the doors open to tomorrow’s public training session at the LNER Community Stadium.
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Rugby league is by far the footballing code of choice in this neck of the woods, as England trained at the home of Rugby League Championship side York Knights this afternoon. As a former dual-code player, Sinfield gave his thoughts on England’s newfound base, and how excited he is to give the Northern fans the opportunity to come and watch his players in tomorrow’s training session.
“Clearly we’re in rugby league territory, but there’s a massive appetite for England to do well in any sport. I also know that York is a big rugby union city and it’s great to be here. Last year and this year we’ve been really well received again. I think it’s important that different communities see us and understand that we represent them too.
“There’s a number of the playing group from up north and this isn’t just about London and what we do down there. This is about representing the country properly and in the right way, so it’s great to be here.”
There has long been a discussion for England to bring a Test match to the North of the country. Venues like Manchester’s Old Trafford or Liverpool’s Anfield stadiums could provide an ideal backdrop, to showcase a Summer exhibition fixture or perhaps one of the four Tests in the Autumn Nations Series.
Sinfield echoed the need for England to take their show on the road, yet the skills coach also understands the reasons behind why Twickenham is the venue of choice for the RFU. When asked if he would get behind the idea of England playing a match in the North, Sinfield said;
“I would, personally, because it would mean less travel for me! I love it up here, (and) I love playing at the Allianz. I love the feel of the big stadium and being there and I know games previously have been played up north, I’ve been to a couple of them. I know England football do it. I’d certainly be an advocate for it, to have a game somewhere up North would be fantastic.
“We’re representative of everybody across England, not just London, so from that point of view…. but I get some of the counter arguments, why it’s important for us to be at the Allianz and it’s our home. But I also understand as well that if we want more boys and girls to pick up a ball across the country, we have to do a bit of this.
“We have to. We have to let kids and adults, but kids in particular, see the role models and the players close up and not everybody gets the opportunity to come down to London, so I think in that regard it would be great.”
Sinfield was then asked if he saw a future for a Premiership Rugby club to bring a top division union side back to Yorkshire. The county formerly hosted a Premiership club in Yorkshire Carnegie, which spent eight seasons in the Premiership between 2001 and 2011. The club was later renamed back to Leeds Tykes in 2019, but have since fallen down the divisions due to financial instability.
The Tykes currently find themselves at the top of the National League 2 North, with just two tiers between them and their white rose tinted glory days of the English top flight. Sinfield, a former Leeds Tykes player, gave his view on the matter.
“You know I’m from Lancashire, right? So I’m not that bothered.” The proud Lancastrian joked. “I think it’d be great. All sports want a geographical spread don’t they and of course it makes sense. There are so many people up in Yorkshire who play rugby, of either code.
“I think it’s really sad that there isn’t a representative in Yorkshire. But likewise, I’d say the same about league because there are areas of the country where they don’t play league. For me, I’m a big advocate for kids to pick up a rugby ball and play sport, it doesn’t matter to me which code, I want people playing rugby.”
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