Leeds Rhinos are coming to the aid of injury-hit league rivals Hull FC by loaning out winger Danny Williams.
Rhinos lend Super League rivals a helping hand
Champions Leeds Rhinos have come to the aid of injury-hit league rivals Hull FC by agreeing to loan out winger Danny Williams to bolster Peter Sharp's depleted squad.
Hull will go into their opening Super League game at Warrington on Friday without seven first-choice players, including new signing Adam Dykes.
However, they have been handed a late boost by the news that Rhinos winger Williams is poised to sign at the KC Stadium on a month's loan.
Hull have yet to finalise the deal but have kept a place open in their 20-man squad for the 21-year-old Williams, who finished last season on loan to Castleford.
Williams had a successful season at Leeds in 2006 when he scored 12 tries in 15 senior appearances, however he failed to break into the Super League side last year when he scored ten tries in nine National League appearances for the Tigers.
"It's a good opportunity for Danny to get a taste of Super League football," Leeds coach Brian McClennan told the
Yorkshire Evening Post.
Opportunity
"He has been training well, he is ready for it and he will do a good job, but at the moment he is ranked four with our wingers.
"I think this just proves our club are trying to do right by our players, by giving them an opportunity."
The loan move will be the Rhinos fifth of the season after prop Michael Haley and half-back Luke Gale joined Doncaster, centre Mike Ratu is on long-term loan at Halifax and stand-off Kyle Briggs has gone to Hunslet.
Hull's first-choice wingers Gareth Raynor (hamstring) and Matt Sing (foot) are both out injured and with cover in the outside backs limited with Kirk Yeaman and Richard Whiting also sidelined, Sharp has acted to bring in temporary cover.
Hull have further injury problems with stand-off Richard Horne and captain Lee Radford both unavailable, but former Australia Test hooker Shaun Berrigan has been passed fit and will make his Super League debut alongside fellow countrymen Peter Cusack and Todd Byrne.
Hull's squad also includes 17-year-old centre Tom Briscoe, who could find himself up against Warrington's Test star Matt King.
"We are happy with our squad and we'll be going to Warrington to play very hard and hopefully get a result," said Sharp.
