Hull KR star targets England call-up

Hull KR’s Ben Crooks has still not ruled out the possibility of England selection.

The 27-year-old has had a fine season for the Robins and signed a one-year contract extension with the Super League club last week.

Crooks burst onto the scene in 2013 for Hull FC and was named Super League’s Young Player of the Year after a fine breakthrough season.

Since then though he has struggled somewhat with his return to Hull coinciding with a return to form and reigniting hopes of an international call-up.

“It would have been great to have been playing for England when I was 19 and getting all that bonus money,” said Crooks.

“It would have been fantastic but not everybody’s career lines up that way and mine certainly has not but I am still here, still playing and still fighting and I am only 27 and I have plenty of time.

“I am not a young pup anymore but at the same time, I am nowhere near retiring.

“I am enjoying my rugby at the minute. I am playing well and the coaches seem to think I am too.

“I have got another contract and still have a long way to go, still learning every day.

“The day that you do stop learning and think you know it all is probably the day you do need to retire.

“All I can do now is to keep working hard and helping this team to go where they need to go and if anything comes off the back of that then fantastic.”

Crooks will line-up for Hull KR in Perpignan later today with hopes of building on the eight tries he has posted so far this season.

Speaking on the game and his chances of claiming the individual award come the end of this season, Crooks said: “It is always a possibility I can be top try-scorer again.

“If the weather holds out and we can continue our attack, hopefully there will be some opportunities for me there and if they come and I score then that is fantastic.

“However, I will be happy if anyone else scores a hat-trick, as long as we come away with the win.

“For us, it is all about getting the job done, regardless of who puts the points on the board.”