Leeds Rhinos have confirmed that Stevie Ward has put pen to paper on a new five-year contract following the loose forward's decision to drop out of the England Academy tour.
The 18-year-old has opted for club over country by choosing to drop out of the England squad, who are due to leave on Thursday for their tour of Australia.
"The decision to withdraw from the Academy tour was left to me," Ward told the club's official website. "I spoke with my family, team mates and Brian McDermott and everyone said they would support me whatever I decided to do.
"For me personally, I feel I need to keep playing with the Rhinos at this stage having broken into the squad. We have got some very important games coming up in the league as we look to move up the table and of course we now have Wembley on the horizon at the end of next month.
"Part of being a professional sportsman is that you have to make sacrifices and live with your decisions and whilst this has been the toughest decision of my life, I believe it is the right one. I wish John Bateman and the rest of the England lads all the best for the tour and I know they will go there and down themselves and the country proud."
Leeds are due to take on Warrington in the Carnegie Challenge Cup final at Wembley on August 25.
Danielle Joynson
