SATURDAY saw the curtain come down on what has been the most successful Rugby League World Cup for decades.

Big crowds, showpiece events staged at iconic arenas and competitive matches gave the sport a much needed fillip.

And there was plenty of Saints interest there, too, with England’s James Roby, Samoans Sia Soliola, Tony Puletua and Mose Masoe, Tonga’s Will Manu and Italy’s Anthony Laffranchi all wearing their international jerseys with pride.

There could have been a couple more Saints involved but for injury with Kyle Amor, one of the club’s newest recruits, missing out on the chance of representing Ireland after opting to have his wrist operated on.

Nevertheless, the former Wakefield front rower, still feels that it was the right call for him and his new club.

The 26-year-old, who is one of three new front rowers in the Saints ranks, said: “It is a funny one because it would have been nice to have said I played in a World Cup.

“I watched all the games on Premier Sports and saw Ireland’s games against England, Australia and Fiji. They were well beaten in the tournament and so in the end I don’t think that would have done me that much good playing.

“I made a decision to get the operation done on my wrist, which had been bugging me for a while, so by the time of the first pre-season week I was almost ready to go and 100 per cent fit.

“So in that respect I am glad I did that and my wrist is all sorted. Being at a new club and new players you have to start getting to know everyone as best you can before the season kicks off. If I had played World Cup it would have been January by the time I’d got to training with the lads.”

Amor is part of the newly beefed up front row union, which also features new recruits Mose Masoe and Richard Beaumont.

The competition for places is sure to be hot – particularly when young guns Anthony Walker and Greg Richards are thrown into the mix already including Alex Walmsley, Anthony Laffranchi, Paul Clough and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook.

The Cumbrian-born prop has played most of his rugby over in West Yorkshire, signing for Leeds before moving on to Wakefield where he impressed during a three year stint.

With his wife and two young children settled across the Pennines, Amor had initially planned to commute. But after wise words of warning from past and present Saints Tykes – Nick Fozzard and Alex Walmsley – there has been a change of heart.

Amor, who has the security of a four-year deal, has moved his family to St Helens and is now settled in here.

“We are all good. We have been over here for a couple of weeks now,” he said.

We were going to commute but after speaking to some past players – and Alex Walmsley who commuted last year – I decided that to be able to give it my best shot. I needed to be close by rather than travelling four hours every day.

“It is not really good for your mental or physical well being stuck on the M62.

“Nick Fozzard said it was great for a couple of years when there was four of them on the ‘Yorkshire Bus’ but when you are on your own he explained that the four hours is better spent doing extra training or being with your family. So it was a no brainer.”

Hailing from Whitehaven, Amor teams up with fellow Cumbrians Ade Gardner and Greg Richards at Langtree Park.

He follows in some pretty illustrious footsteps with Dick Huddart, John Tembey, Peter Gorley and the fearless grafter Jon Neill all hailing from Amor’s part of the world.

Although other clubs were in for him, Amor said he would have kicked himself had he not opted for the red vee of St Helens.

“I did have a couple of chances but if you look at the history of the club they have always been there or thereabouts so for me I want to be part of a team that is going to be challenging.

“The history of St Helens speaks for itself – if I had gone to any other club I’d have always kicked myself as to why I’d not come to Saints,” he said.