Leeds Rhinos have called up part-time plumber Tom Bush to their squad for Friday's Super League game against Harlequins.
Part-timer given chance of Super League debut by Leeds
Leeds Rhinos have called up part-time plumber Tom Bush to their squad for Friday's Super League game against Harlequins.
20-year-old Bush is only a part-timer rugby league player, as he is also an apprentice plumber, but he could now make his Super League debut at Headingley.
Rhinos boss Brian McClennan has included Bush, who has been handed the number 26 shirt, in his 19-man squad to face Quins as a replacement for the injured Scott Donald.
Bush had to ask his father John for time off work in order to train with the Rhinos first team this week.
"He played for Leeds in the A team when he was a teenager so he knows how much it means to me to play in the first team," Bush said.
Dream come true
"The whole family are massive Rhinos fans and it would be a dream come true if I could get to play for the first team this season.
"Normally I am up at 7am to start working with my dad but I am looking forward to the challenge of training with the first team this week.
"The guys are really welcoming. It was a big boost to my confidence when I went away with them at the start of the season and that has certainly helped this week."
McClennan said: "We have drafted Tom into the 19-man squad to give him the experience of training full time with the first team squad.
"He played on Boxing Day and he has impressed as he has come through our academy system.
"We identified four players from our academy structure that we believe can make the step up this season and Tom is the first of those to get his chance to move into the first team squad."
