From Eswatini to Halifax . . . and now dreaming of Grand Final glory
KRUISE LEEMING counts himself lucky. ‘My dad wanted to call me Anchor, so I’m glad he didn’t,’ laughs the Leeds Rhinos captain when explaining the origins of his first name.
‘He worked as a casino croupier on a cruise ship with my mum. That’s where they met and that’s where I was conceived, so they wanted to name me something to do with the ship.’
Leeming, who tonight leads out Leeds in their Super League playoff semi-final at Wigan, was born back on dry land in Eswatini, where he lived until he was three. He then moved with his family to Halifax but soon his life in England was struck by tragedy.
‘When I was eight, my dad died of throat cancer,’ Leeming tells Sportsmail. ‘We were best mates and it hit me really hard.’
Leeming, 27, never played rugby with his dad, preferring golf. And it was while hitting a wedge that his life would change for good. ‘I used to practise my shots at the Siddal rugby field, trying to hit the ball through the posts,’ he recalls.
‘One day, the groundsman caught me and said, “You can’t be practising here, you’re ripping up all of the turf”. I pleaded with him and eventually he said, “I will do you a deal, you can practise here as long as you come and train with us”.’
The rest is history as six years later Leeming made his Super League debut for Huddersfield Giants aged just 17, scoring a try with his second touch. He joined Leeds Rhinos at the end of 2019, winning the Challenge Cup with them in 2020 and making his England debut the following year.
‘My mum still doesn’t know what is going on, she still thinks I play down at Siddal! But she is immensely proud,’ grins Leeming.
Few would have predicted Leeds would reach the play- off semifinals given their poor start to the season. But their form has transformed under Aussie coach Rohan Smith, who took charge in May and led them to fifth in the table. It is a position they have won the Grand Final from twice before — in 2011 and 2012.
‘Obviously history doesn’t play games for you,’ says Leeming. ‘But it is just nice to know it is doable. Anything less than silverware at the end of the season is a failure for a club like Leeds Rhinos.’
TV: Wigan v Leeds, LIVE on Sky Sports Arena, kick-off 8pm.