Bodene Thompson: Leeds Rhinos sign Toronto Wolfpack back rower

Bodene Thompson (left) helped Toronto win promotion to Super League last season with victory over Featherstone in the Million Pound Game

Leeds have signed back row Bodene Thompson from Toronto Wolfpack.

The 32-year-old New Zealander has agreed a deal that runs until the end of the current Super League season.

Thompson had a nine-year career in the NRL playing for Gold Coast Titans, Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors.

He moved to England in 2018, first joining Championship side Leigh and then moving to Warrington later that season where he featured in the Super League Grand Final.

Thompson joined Toronto last year and played 21 times as the club won promotion to Super League for the first time.

"I had a number of options but when I spoke to Brian McDermott, my head coach at Toronto, he told me there was only one club I should be joining," Thompson told the club website.

"It has been a tough year so far with the coronavirus lockdown and then the uncertainty over Toronto's future and I am just pleased to have this season sorted now.

"I could have just sat 2020 out and waited for next season but that is not the sort of character I am, I wanted to get back out on the field as soon as possible and I would like to thank Leeds Rhinos for giving me that opportunity."

Thompson will join up with his team-mates once he gets visa clearance and completes Covid-19 testing protocols.

"Bodene is a quality forward who has a great deal of experience both in the NRL but also in Super League with Warrington Wolves and Toronto Wolfpack," Leeds head coach Richard Agar added.

"This is a win-win situation for Bodene and ourselves; he is able to show what he can do whilst allowing us to strengthen our pack with a tough period of games coming up in a short period of time."