Rhinos recruit Mark O'Neill

Leeds Rhinos have made their fourth signing for 2006 with the capture of Australian forward Mark O'Neill, who was a member of the Wests Tigers Grand-Final winning team this year.

The 30-year-old O'Neill, who has signed a 12-month contract, captained the Tigers before elbow surgery kept him out for 12 weeks in the middle of the season but he returned to the side and was an ever-present in their successful title run.

O'Neill, who made 223 senior appearances in Australia, will join the Rhinos for the start of pre-season training next month and will play in the club's friendly against Wakefield at Headingley on Boxing Day.

"I am very excited at the opportunity to come to England and play for the Rhinos," he said. "The Rhinos have a great reputation over here and I am also looking forward to learning from Tony Smith.

"I've never been to England before and it will be strange to play on a cold Boxing Day morning but it can not come soon enough now."

O'Neill made his debut for Balmain in 1994 and was an integral part of the Wests Tigers side since the merger of Balmain and Wests in 2000.

He will join Bradford captain Jamie Peacock and fellow Australians Scott Donald and Shane Millard in a new-look Leeds outfit.

Head coach Tony Smith said: "We are delighted to have signed a player of Mark's experience and quality. He is perhaps a player that some Super League fans may not know too much about but he has built up a tremendous reputation over the past decade in Australia.

"He is a no-nonsense player who can play in either the second row or at prop and will add a great deal to our forward options."

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Thanks to www.superleague.co.uk for this story.