Today Super League history will be made. James Roby will make his 455th Super League appearance topping Kevin Sinfield’s appearance record which has stood since his last season – a treble winning campaign in 2015.
The two were once fierce rivals contesting four Grand Finals in five years from 2007-11 all of which went Sinfield’s way as he picked up the Harry Sunderland Award.
Since Sinfield’s retirement, Roby has gone from strength to strength winning six trophies and emulating Sinfield with the two the only skippers to lift three consecutive Super League titles with Roby doing so from 2019-21.
So rivals on the pitch, but there’s massive respect between the two off it encapsulated by Sinfield’s response to Roby topping his appearance record today.
Talking on the Super League’s Twitter page, he said there’s no better player who could top his record than Roby: “People might think I’m disappointed but I’m not. Records are there to be broken and I can’t think of some body better.
“If someone had to beat it – he’d be number one.
“He’s a wonderful human being, one of Super League’s best ever. Just what a player.
“They had a team full of superstars and James Graham and Robes came on the scene and they just fitted in seamlessly especially Robes – he could play anywhere. You wouldn’t want to play him prop but he’d do a job there and he’d just keep going and he’s one of the toughest players I’ve played with and against.
“He will come up with flash moments, he’s got that in his game and he just keeps delivering. I don’t think I’ve seen him have less than a nine out of 10 game, he’s had a wonderful career.
“He was probably the fittest player when he joined that St Helens dressing room and he will still be today.
“I don’t know if there will be another one. A special player.”
Watch the whole interview here:
Kevin Sinfield 🤝 James Roby 🤝 Record Breakers
As James Roby prepares to break former @leedsrhinos captain Kevin Sinfield's #SuperLeague appearance record this Sunday hear from the (current) record holder himself 🙌 pic.twitter.com/3mt1dyNBgc
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) June 10, 2022
