Kyle Amor reveals retirement plans

Four-time Super League winner Kyle Amor is set to hang up his boots at the end of the year after a final appearance for the Cumbria representative side.

Cumbria are set to take on Wales at the LEL Arena in Whitehaven, to help them prepare for the European Championships campaign where they will face France, Spain and Italy.

Amor, 35, started his career with hometown club Whitehaven and made 45 appearances for them before earning a move to Super League with Leeds.

He went on to play for Wakefield but it was at St Helens where he really settled, and was part of their Grand Final winning teams in 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

After deciding to depart Super League at the end of last season, Amor has been playing in the Championship with Widnes alongside his day job as a science teacher.

In recent years, he has also built a growing reputation as a pundit on TV, featuring on BBC, Channel 4 and Premier Sports.

He recently surpassed the 350 career appearances mark.

Amor told The Mail: “It pretty much brings it all to an end, this is the final sort of show piece event, but within that it brings my career to a close.

“I have a few mixed emotions around that really, I’m excited, I’m nervous, it’s a huge part of me that’s finished now, but I’m excited, relieved as well there are a whole host of emotions that come with completely retiring.

“It’s a chapter in my life that will close, and I have got to move onto something else, but to do it at home and bring it all together, to bring something that I really care about which is Cumbrian rugby league and put that on the map and showcase it again, it’s a nice fitting way to sign out really.”

Cumbria back in action

The game will bring down the curtain on Amor’s career and his testimonial year, with a specially designed shirt to raise funds for his testimonial which will feature Cumbrian based businesses.

Amor played for Cumbria in the 28-12 win over Jamaica ahead of the World Cup last year, starting at prop and scoring a try.

The Cumbria representative side has played sporadically over the years, often taking part in the schedule of touring sides from Australia and New Zealand in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

They played against Ireland, Tonga and USA between 2005-2007, and faced England in 2010, before taking on Scotland in Barrow, losing 48-16. A Cumbria team did unite for the short-lived Rugby League 9s event, which they won – beating several Super League teams in the process.

There is often talk about Cumbria when discussions are raised about the return of a War of the Roses concept, and the notion of a Cumbria based Super League franchise never seems to go away.

There are a handful of Cumbrian players playing in Super League, including Morgan Knowles, Brad Singleton and Jacques O’Neill.

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