“The time is right” – Ryan Atkins calls time on his career

York centre Ryan Atkins has announced he will retire at the end of the season.

The 35-year-old made his 400th career appearance earlier this season when York faced Bradford.

Atkins, who played 273 games across 10 seasons for Warrington, stands as the sixth-highest try scorer in Super League history.

The former England international also enjoyed two spells with Wakefield, scoring 42 tries in 82  games for the club.

On his retirement, Atkins said: “I was contemplating going around again but the time is right. I thought at the end of last year that this could be my swansong, having a really good dig at getting to the play-offs and getting promoted this year with York but that’s just not happened.

“The further we have got through the year, the more batterings my body has taken and I just think the time is right now.

“It’s now time for me to transition away and into the real world. I’ve been doing that gradually now for the last twelve months in a recruitment role and I’m absolutely loving it but, for rugby, my body just won’t do what my mind and my brain wants it to do.

“I always said that, when it came to that point, that I would call it a day and thankfully I’ve got to make that decision off my own back. It’s not an injury or a lack of options, it’s down to my wife, my children and I having come to the agreement that it’s time to spend more time as a family.”

Atkins scored four tries in eight games for England between 2006-12 and was named in the Super League Dream Team in 2012 and 2016.

Atkins, who has scored eight tries in 18 games for York in the Championship this season, won two League Leaders’ Shields and two Challenge Cups whilst with Warrington between 2010-19.