Kallum Watkins extends stay at Leeds

England ace Kallum Watkins has signed a contract extension with Leeds, keeping him at the club until at least the end of the 2021 season.

The 27-year-old contract was due to expire at the end of next season, but his new deal will keep him at Emerald Headingley until at least the next Rugby League World Cup in 2021.

Watkins has 25 caps for England and has made over 200 appearances for the Rhinos.

On his new deal, he said: “This is a big stage in any rugby players career as I come into my late twenties and it is a massive deal for me to sign a new contract.

“I love this club from the bottom of my heart. It is a fantastic club and I have been fortunate to be part of a successful period in the early part of my career, our challenge now is to take that culture forward.

“The special thing about this club is the family aspect and how we collectively want to achieve something together, that made it very easy to extend my contract.

“I adore this club and love being with the boys, the whole environment was key in convincing me that I wanted to stay here.”

Gary Hetherington, Rhinos chief executive, added: “Kallum was one of the outstanding players in the World Cup last autumn which is naturally going to attract plenty of attention for him.

“He is an elite, world class player and at 27, he is committing his best years to the Rhinos and the Super League competition which is a fantastic boost for our club and competition.”