Lee Smith to Leave Leeds Rhinos for London Wasps

London Wasps are expected to announce the signing of the England rugby league international Lee Smith following the confirmation today that he will leave Leeds Rhinos at the end of the current Super League season.

Smith, a 22-year-old utility back who was the man of the match in Leeds's victory over St Helens in last year's Grand Final, is thought to have agreed a four-year contract with the Wycombe-based rugby union club.

"By the end of this season I will have completed seven at the club and feel the time is right for me to move on to a new challenge," said Smith, who has scored 42 tries in 88 appearances for the Rhinos.

Leeds expressed their disappointment at Smith's decision but remain confident that they will replace him as successfully as they did Chev Walker when he left for an unhappy one-year stint in rugby union with Bath.

"It is always disappointing when a player decides to leave, especially one like Lee who has come through our ranks and gone on to win international honors," said the Rhinos chief executive, Gary Hetherington.

"We have a strong nucleus of players in our squad, who are committed not only to the club to be one another but we live in the age of freedom of contract and it is inevitable that some will choose to play elsewhere at some point.

"We did not want to lose Richard ­Mathers, Mark Calderwood, Chev Walker or Nick Scruton, all players who had graduated through our system but we did and our job is to recruit or promote suitable replacements.

"The search will start immediately and Lee will leave with our best wishes at the end of the season, hopefully with another winners' ring at Old Trafford."