As he is one of the few men who regularly plays 80 minutes and barely misses a game in Super League, it would be easy to forgive James Roby if he fancied an extended break at the end of each year.
Fears the St Helens man needed ankle surgery last year ruled him out of England’s Four Nations campaign and ensured a rest period ahead of 2015, but this year there are no such worries. England’s No1 hooker is back on international duty once again and ready to lay down a marker before a pivotal few years in English rugby league.
England’s three-Test series against the world’s top-ranked side New Zealand is the first of a triumvirate of international programmes that could define the legacy of this youthful England group. A Four Nations campaign on home soil next year precedes the 2017 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and after several years of near-misses in the international arena, Roby admits Steve McNamara’s side are overdue a breakthrough year.
“I’ve been lucky to be involved with Great Britain and England for years and we’ve always said we’re building,” said Roby. “But now it’s time to break through that ceiling and win something on the international stage. It’s not a World Cup of course but it is a Test series and the Kiwis are No1 in the world so there’s no one better to do it against. I don’t see why we can’t deliver the goods on the pitch.
“That World Cup semi-final [England lost to the Kiwis 20-18 in 2013] was a close game and I thought we’d done enough but they scored in the final moment of the game. That’s a reminder that you have to play for 80 minutes. It was disappointing but on the whole we played well as a team and took confidence from that.
“Last year we were very close against the Aussies and Kiwis and there’s clearly steady progression but hopefully we can take it one step further and I don’t see how we can’t. If we put it together we can make that breakthrough on the international scene.”
St Helens’ marathon man is likely to enjoy a few breaks within the Test series this year as he is likely to employ a different role of working in spells with the Canberra hooker, Josh Hodgson. It is a role Roby experienced in the past, working in conjunction with the now Saints coach and former hooking team-mate Keiron Cunningham in the early part of his career.
The 29-year-old admits it is a role that keeps him on top of his game, which is surely set to be to England’s benefit this series. “I adapt my game if I’m going to end up doing the same as France,” he said. “I’m used to playing 80 minutes week in, week out, and you have to manage yourself through that.
“You can’t burn yourself out in the first 10 minutes by going all out. But I knew I’d come on midway through the first-half and do 40 minutes, so it’s halved the time I play and I know I can go all out. I try and provide that bit of extra spark, that bit more energy and a bit more buzz.
“I try to do as much off the ball as I can as it’s different to what I do for Saints and I’d like to think I looked that bit fresher and quicker around the ruck. It’s the same as when I came through alongside Keiron. I feel good for it and the body feels a lot better for it.”
England (probable) Hardaker; J Burgess, Watkins, Bateman, Hall; Widdop, Williams; Hill, Hodgson, Graham, Farrell, Whitehead, O’Loughlin. Interchange: Roby, Ferres, Cooper, T Burgess.
New Zealand (probable) Tuivasa-Sheck; Nightingale, Kahu, Whare, Kenny-Dowall; Hiku, Lolohea; Bromwich, Luke, Matulino, Proctor, Harris, Taupau. Interchange: Nikorima, Blair, Moa, Glenn.
