Daily Mirror

Purtill up for Leigh full-time

Unbeaten London club defying the odds and setting their sights on Super League

- BY GARETH WALKER Rugby Lge Correspond­ent BY GARETH WALKER

FORMER St Helens and Huddersfie­ld assistant Kieron Purtill has thrown his hat into the ring for the vacant Leigh job after taking charge on a caretaker basis.

Purtill (above) has been handed the reins following Monday’s resignatio­n of Neil Jukes in the wake of the Centurions’ home defeat to 12-man Toulouse.

A former Leigh player, Purtill had been working under Jukes and is now keen to prove his worth as a head coach.

Purtill said: “I almost see it as a job interview now, what we do in the next few games, and we’ll see how it goes.

“I’ve never made any secret of the fact that one day I’d like to be a head coach, and nothing would make me prouder than if it was at my home-town team where I played.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge. The first week has been a bit up and down as you’d imagine.

“It was disappoint­ing to see Neil going – it’s always sad when anybody loses their job.

“But the reality then was that we had to get back on it and ready to play.”

The ambitious Centurions face Feathersto­ne tomorrow.

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 ??  ?? FLIPPIN’ MARVELLOUS Jarrod Sammut is mobbed after a try in the 44-24 win over Feathersto­ne – and celebratin­g in style, below
FLIPPIN’ MARVELLOUS Jarrod Sammut is mobbed after a try in the 44-24 win over Feathersto­ne – and celebratin­g in style, below

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