ROBY GIVES SAINTS A DERBY LIFT

Wigan v St Helens KO 7.45pm

BY GARETH WALKER

JAMES ROBY has given St Helens a pre-derby boost by committing to a 19th season with the club.

The evergreen hooker, 35, has signed a new one-year contract to extend his career into 2022.

Roby won the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match in last year’s dramatic Grand Final win over tonight’s opponents Wigan. He made his Saints debut in 2004 and has racked up 485 appearances and 110 tries for his hometown club.

Roby said: “As you get older you do think the end is near.

“I knew I was off-contract at the end of this year and thought this could be my last season, but I never saw myself playing anywhere else.

“If the club hadn’t offered me a new deal I would have called it a day. But I have signed for one more year and I believe that I still have value to this team.”

Roby (right) can expect a typically physical challenge from rivals Wigan tonight with coach Adrian Lam urging young forward Oliver Partington to maintain his aggressive approach despite a recent two-match ban. Lam (above) said: “I love that side of him, it’s a side you can’t coach – it’s natural aggression. He just needs to make sure it’s controlled and he’s aware of that.

“He’s better at managing that caged animal that’s within him. We don’t want punches thrown, but you can be aggressive in other ways.”

Last night’s Super League clash between Warrington and Catalans was postponed just seven hours before kick-off with the Dragons recording four positive Covid-19 cases in their camp.