Leeds Rhinos have signed England Knights hooker Kruise Leeming, 24, having agreed a deal with Betfred Super League rivals Huddersfield Giants.

Leeming, who featured for the Knights at Emerald Headingley last month in their win over Jamaica, has made 120 appearances for the Giants since breaking through as a teenager from the club’s academy to make his debut in 2013. He has agreed a two year contract with the Rhinos.

Originally from Swaziland, he moved to Halifax when he was three and played his junior rugby at Siddal before signing professionally with Huddersfield.

As part of the deal, Leeds Rhinos youngster Owen Trout will move in the opposite direction and join the Giants.

Commenting on the deal Director of Rugby Kevin Sinfield said, “We are delighted to have secured Kruise. He is an exciting, young English player who has played over a hundred games in Super League and impressed our coaching staff. He will join our squad in pre-season training with immediate effect and I am sure he will be a great addition to our squad.

“I would like to thank Owen Trout for his efforts at the Rhinos, he had a taste of first team rugby last season at Dewsbury and Featherstone and I am sure he will relish the challenge of a new club at the Giants,” added Sinfield.

Leeming, who only missed one game for Huddersfield last season, added, “I am excited to be joining the Rhinos and looking forward to the future. I would like to thank everyone at the Giants who have supported me down the years and I wish the club well in the years ahead. I am looking forward to running out at Emerald Headingley as a Leeds Rhinos player, it is an amazing atmosphere when you are an opposition player, so I can only imagine how good it will feel to be a Rhinos player.

“We have got great competition at the club for the hooking role with Brad Dwyer and Corey Johnson but I think that is great for the Rhinos. As a professional player you thrive off that challenge and I am sure we will all work together to get the best possible result for the team,” added Leeming.