Leeds Rhinos Netball have revealed that England U21 star Sienna Rushton is the latest player to join the team for the 2021 Vitality Netball Superleague season.
At 18 years old, Rushton is the youngest player to be announced in Dan Ryan’s squad, but the Londoner comes with plenty of experience, having gained international honours at various England age groups and is rated as one of the brightest young talents in the game.
Commenting on joining the Rhinos, Rushton said: “I’m so pleased to be joining the club, it’s exciting to be part of something new and I’m looking forward to getting started with pre-season.
“After speaking with Dan and finding out more about the Rhinos, I love the values which the club holds and its work ethic. It is so exciting to be part of a new club with lots of new people and to also stamp some fresh authority on the league table.”
The 188cm goal shooter and goal attack burst onto the scene as a 15 year old, winning gold at Netball Europe at U17 level. She was quickly elevated into the U19 side that same year for a tour to New Zealand.
In 2019, she was part of the 12-strong England squad at Netball Europe in Northern Ireland where she took home another gold medal and was a standout performer for the young Roses.
Rushton joins the Rhinos from Wasps Netball, where she emerged through their junior levels before making their 2020 Vitality Netball Superleague squad. She also played for Turnford Netball Club in Premier League.
Dan Ryan, High Performance Director and Superleague Head Coach at Leeds Rhinos Netball, said: “Sienna is one of the most highly regarded underage shooters in England and I’m really looking forward to working with such a promising young athlete.
“She has maturity beyond her years and a really professional approach to her netball which is great to see. Her enthusiasm and eagerness to learn will bring so much to the Superleague squad and she’ll also really bolster our U21 team as well.
“She can comfortably cover both shooting positions and offers great variety in how she plays. She’s got the height to play on the hold and excellent agility to get on the move. She really does have all the tools to be a star of the future.”
2021 is set to a big year for Rushton as she looks to gain more exposure at Superleague level and begins a degree at Leeds University. She also has her eyes firmly fixed on earning a place in the England U21 squad for the World Youth Cup in Fiji in December.
You can keep up to date with all the latest signing window news on the VNSL’s dedicated Transfers page or with their Twitter Moment.
Make sure that you get the news as it happens by following the Vitality Netball Superleague on Twitter and Instagram.
