Six Nations 2023: Kevin Sinfield - the marathon man behind England's defence

Kevin Sinfield played rugby league for Leeds Rhinos, England and Great Britain

The satellite volition beryllium a amended spot "if we tin each effort and beryllium a amended person from clip to time".

It is what has driven him to rise much than £7m for foundation successful the past 3 years.

Aged 14, Sinfield met a 12-year-old Rob Burrow astatine rugby league broadside Leeds Rhinos. Twenty-eight years later, they are inactive steadfast friends aft a glittering vocation successful which Sinfield became the Rhinos' astir palmy captain, winning 7 Super League titles.

In 2019, Burrow, who is present 40, was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. Sinfield sprung into action.

First, successful 2020, helium ran 7 marathons successful 7 days - 7 being Burrow's garment number.

Then successful 2021, helium acceptable retired to tally 101 miles from Leicester - wherever helium was coaching - to Leeds and ended up moving 104 miles aft getting mislaid twice.

Finally successful 2022, Sinfield ran 40 miles a time for a week, ending the situation astatine half-time successful the men's Rugby League World Cup final.

"I bash it due to the fact that that's what mates do," helium said of his challenges.

Speaking connected BBC Two documentary Kevin Sinfield: Going the Extra Mile, helium added: "It shows you that with a volition and a fight, you tin get a batch of things done."

Burrow (left) and Sinfield won 7 Super League titles unneurotic astatine Leeds Rhinos

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France to trial Sinfield defence

It is evident from his palmy stint arsenic Leicester Tigers defence coach, during which helium helped them triumph the Premiership, that Sinfield brings the aforesaid committedness to his work.

England volition request each spot of it arsenic they look to rebuild six months retired from the World Cup aft a disappointing extremity to Eddie Jones' tenure arsenic caput coach.

When Sinfield asks for much from his players successful training, determination tin beryllium nary questions. He has enactment himself done acold worse.

With Grand Slam-chasing Ireland to travel successful the last round, France's talented backline are apt to contiguous the toughest trial of Sinfield's maiden Six Nations truthful acold astatine Twickenham connected Saturday.

The ducking and weaving of scrum-half Antoine Dupont, the nifty tricks of Romain Ntamack and the gait of newcomer Ethan Dumortier connected the helping volition each harvester to effort and find a mode through.

On apical of that, Sinfield's coaching skills volition beryllium held up against the shining illustration of defence guru Shaun Edwards' power connected France.

Sinfield describes Edwards - victor of 3 Grand Slams coaching Wales and 1 with France - arsenic "a legend" and his coaching achievements arsenic "incredible", telling BBC Sport: "The mode the French play, the flair and physicality, the power, the pace. They are an outstanding team. It volition springiness america an denotation of wherever we're at."

Sinfield lone joined England successful December and, aft specified a abbreviated clip together, their antiaircraft efforts got disconnected to a shaky commencement against Scotland successful February.

A nerve-settling triumph against Italy followed, earlier different triumph successful Cardiff successful England's past fixture connected 25 February.

England person conceded 7 tries truthful acold this Six Nations - with lone Ireland conceding little connected 4 - and person conceded the slightest penalties of immoderate broadside with 23.

But they person missed much tackles than immoderate different team, with 84. Conversely, France person missed 61 and Sinfield's connection to players was elemental aft decision by Scotland: "You can't miss tackles, guys."

'Mutual respect' with Edwards

Sinfield is implicit a period into the tourney present and the erstwhile Great Britain and England rugby league player's interaction volition uncover itself further.

League coaches person proven to beryllium fashionable successful union, with Edwards the standout example. Ireland caput manager Andy Farrell has besides made a large occurrence of the power and Wales' defence manager Mike Forshaw came from the different codification too.

Speaking connected the Rugby Union Daily podcast, Edwards explained: "It's conscionable the accent connected defence [in rugby league].

"We've ever been brought up that you person to practise defence successful 25-30% of your grooming sessions.

"In rugby league you don't person to triumph the ball. You don't person to walk immoderate clip connected your set-piece. In national you person to walk a batch of clip [on set-piece]."

Sinfield lone made the determination from league coaching to national successful 2021 and erstwhile helium did, helium got successful interaction with Edwards, of whose playing and coaching helium says helium is "a immense fan".

"We had 3 oregon 4 conversations implicit Skype sharing information," Edwards said.

"He helped maine a bit. I was explaining to him astir rugby union: it's ever a contention for the ball, you tin suffer the shot astatine immoderate time.

"There's decidedly a communal respect betwixt us."

Another large situation to come?

Given what helium has enactment himself done to enactment those suffering with centrifugal neurone disease, nary uncertainty the England players clasp Sinfield successful precocious esteem. Fans volition anticipation this translates into a well-drilled defence to lucifer France's connected Saturday.

Of his off-field exploits, and the 3 large challenges helium has taken connected truthful far, Sinfield says: "Most large books and films are a trilogy. There's a World Cup astatine the extremity of the twelvemonth and my absorption needs to beryllium connected that and the team.

"For maine to beryllium a bully manager and get the champion retired of myself, I request to beryllium capable to run. There is simply a caveat successful each this, which astir apt relates to the Rocky films.

"Rocky isn't a trilogy, but I would accidental that Rocky IV is astir apt my favourite. We'll see."

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