VETERAN Saints skipper James Roby has announced his retirement from international rugby league.

The 35-year-old England and Great Britain hooker had hoped to don the England shirt for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup – but the tournament’s delay until autumn 2022 has convinced him to bring his international career to a close.

Roby made 36 appearances for England and seven for Great Britain after making his debut with the Lions in New Zealand in 2006 – scoring six tries on international duty.

It is not the end of the line for Roby’s domestic career - the back-to-back Grand Final winning skipper has signed up for one more year at Saints and next season will be sharing the dummy half role with NRL recruit Joey Lussick.

St Helens Star:

Roby explained: “I was hoping to be selected for RLWC2021 this autumn and taking absolutely nothing for granted, but 2022 is a year too far. Time waits for no man.

“I’ve had some incredible experiences and standing for the national anthem as an England or Great Britain player is something I’ll never forget.

“I’ll be supporting Shaun and the boys next year, and there’s no reason why they can’t go all the way.”

St Helens Star:

The former Blackbrook junior made his Great Britain debut against New Zealand in Christchurch in 2006 and went on to play in the World Cups of 2008, 2013 and 2017, featuring in the closely-fought final against Australia in Brisbane.

 

Roby said: “We were so close to beating Australia in the 2017 final and we were close too against New Zealand in the semi-final at Wembley in 2013.

St Helens Star:

"I’d have loved to have won some silverware, but we were always the nearly men.

“I remember my debut really well. Brian Noble selected me to tour Down Under.

"I was only 20 and got the opportunity to play against Australia and New Zealand alongside the likes of Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow, and other players I looked up to like my Saints team-mates Leon Pryce and Paul Wellens.

"Brian’s a great fella, and that tour made me want to be involved again and again.

“I’ve also been fortunate to line up in the pack alongside some real enforcers – the kind of players who would die on the pitch if you asked them to. James Graham, Sam Burgess, Jamie Peacock, Adrian Morley…I loved taking the field with players like them. They just do whatever it takes.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and I’d like to thank everybody who has played a part in my international career, however big or small the role.”

St Helens Star:

England Head Coach Shaun Wane expressed his disappointment that he never had the chance to take charge of a team with Roby in there.

“I’ve been a long-time admirer of James and I’m gutted that I never got the chance to coach him.

“He’d have played in the World Cup had the tournament gone ahead this year, but I understand the reason for his decision,” Wane said.

St Helens Star:

“James is one of those players who consistently delivers exactly what coaches want and he very rarely gets it wrong.

“He’s a great number nine, which is why fellow professionals like [former England captain] Sean O’Loughlin rave about him. He’s a legend.”

Pictures: SWpix.com/PhotosportNZ