Why Hull KR star backflipped on retirement decision to play in Rugby League World Cup

Korbin Sims has now played the final game of his career.

The Hull KR prop played as Fiji narrowly lost to New Zealand in the Rugby League World Cup quarter-finals at Hull FC’s MKM Stadium.

It was somewhat apt that his final game at the home of his club’s biggest rivals after his career appeared to end prematurely when he was banned from Hull KR’s final game of the season against Hull FC leaving the Robins with just 16 men for the Hull derby.

That suspension appeared to end his career with Sims initially adamant that he would not play in the World Cup.

But that all changed with a phone call from Fiji skipper and former St Helens star Kevin Naiqama who knows all about backflipping on retirement joining Sydney Roosters for 2022 instead of retiring prior to joining Huddersfield Giants in 2023.

This convinced Sims to play in the World Cup to conclude his career.

He said to Fox League after the defeat: “Six months ago I made the decision to retire at the end of the year and I already had ruled myself out of the World Cup.

“I had a couple of questions from the captain and teammates through the year and I always said ‘no’ but just as the boys were getting ready for that England game Kevin Naiqama called me and asked again if I wanted to play.

“I made the decision there and then that was the way I was going to finish off my career — and I couldn’t be happier doing it this way after having a suspension and missing out on the final game of the regular season in the Super League.

“I went out on my terms, I went out the way I started my career — in a World Cup — so I’m pretty happy with my decision to return home and be a dad.”

His tournament was very nearly ended early again with a ban after the game against Scotland as he was cited once again by the match review panel but he fortunately escaped a ban and got to end his career on his own terms.