Danny McGuire: Garry Schofield was a big influence
Tuesday 21 April 2020 06:17, UK
Danny McGuire has revealed how another Leeds Rhinos great had a huge influence on him when he was first making his way in rugby league.
Speaking to the Golden Point Daily podcast, the retired half-back spoke of how he was inspired by Garry Schofield as a youngster growing up in Leeds, with the Great Britain international regarded as one of the finest centres or stand-offs this country has produced.
McGuire would later go on to wear the No 6 shirt with distinction for his hometown club as well, winning nearly every team and individual honour in rugby league, and told Sky Sports which facets of Schofield's game he admired.
"Garry Schofield played off the cuff, he was a maverick," McGuire said. "He liked going for the interception and the chip-and-chase, all of the things that are probably not in the game at the minute.
"They are those special players who everyone stands up and applauds and Schoey had that with the try-scoring and the famous dive.
"He was definitely somebody I look at as an inspiration, really."
McGuire evolved from being a player noted for running with the ball in hand during the early part of his career to being a more wily, kicking half-back, not to mention proving equally adept in the scrum-half role for both the Rhinos and in his final two seasons with Hull Kingston Rovers.
The 37-year-old, who works for Rovers in a recruitment and coaching role, explained how his approach to the game evolved.
"The early part of my career, I was probably a selfish player," McGuire said. "I liked to finish the tries and have the headlines, but as you become more mature you develop.
"I had a few injuries mid to late-20s which probably slowed me down, so I had to use my brain a little bit more. I was always working hard off the field on my skills and it just developed over time.
"Towards the end, I was more of a controlling half and I suppose it was just the progression throughout my career."
McGuire was one of the five players nominated at stand-off in the Sky Sports website vote to find the best Super League team of the past 25 seasons.
Iestyn Harris, Lee Briers, Rangi Chase and Henry Paul were the other nominees and the former Great Britain and England international found all four of them tough opponents in his playing days.
"They were all fantastic players and all players I used to really enjoy going up against," McGuire said.
"Any player wants to challenge themselves against the best players in the competitions and those stand-offs are top-notch - and all completely different as well.
"Briersy was a maverick and Rangi was similar to Iestyn, who was one of the best players in the competition in the early 2000s.
"Henry has done it in both codes as well and it's a massive honour to be alongside some quality players."
