HALL SIGNS FOR ROVERS
ENGLAND’S RECORD TRY SCORER PENS TWO-YEAR DEAL
HULL KR have pulled coup with the signing winger Ryan Hall on contract.
The 32-year-old becomes the second addition to Tony Smith’s squad following the signing of Melbourne Storm prop Albert Vete.
Hall is fresh from a frustrating injury-hit spell at Sydney Roosters but has enjoyed a glittering career since Smith handed him his Super League debut for Leeds Rhinos in 2007.
As well as working under Smith during the final few months of the 53-year-old’s time at Headingley, Hall spent a decade playing alongside KR head of recruitment and assistant coach Danny Mcguire.
Hall scored 233 tries in 330 appearances for the Rhinos and won the off a major of England a two-year
Super League Grand Final on six occasions, as well as the Challenge Cup, World Club Challenge and League Leaders’ Shield twice each.
He landed a dream move to the Roosters in 2018, only for knee injuries to limit him to 11 appearances for the NRL giants.
Hall had reportedly agreed to join Toronto Wolfpack at the end of his contract with the Roosters but is now a Robin.
“I loved my time over in Australia - it was a great experience for me and my family,” he told Hull KR TV.
“But I’m back to more familiar territory now, back in England and Super
League.
“I started off under Tony Smith. He gave me my debut at Leeds and then again with England, and also he’s going to hopefully give me my debut for Hull KR as well.
“It’s pretty cool and familiarity is a comforting thing, so long as I get settled in as soon as possible I can get back to playing my best rugby. With my relationship with Tony and Danny Mcguire, that should come pretty easily.”
Hall is England’s all-time record tryscorer with 35 in 38 internationals, while he also earned two caps for Great Britain last year. Perhaps more importantly, he is one of the best around coming out of yardage.
“It’s so crucial now to get on the front foot and get going forward and sometimes it needs to be the outside backs to get that to happen,” said Smith.
“That’s an area we wanted to strengthen; we are still ambitious to sign more forwards at this stage.
“But at the same time, a man of Ryan’s size at 105kg, it’s almost like signing another forward.
“His power is going to be a really big asset for us to get us on the front foot, plus he’s got that tryscoring ability that everyone’s seen.
“Ryan had a number of choices in front of him and he’s chosen us, so we are delighted about that.
“Anyone who knows Ryan will know he takes care of himself unbelievably well. He’s in really good condition and got a body younger than most. He’ll be a real asset to us and I’m delighted that he’s decided to join us to be part of our rejuvenation.”