The 21 players who have made 500 career appearances after Wigan Warriors icon’s milestone

Toulouse Olympique captain and Wigan Warriors icon Harrison Hansen has joined an exclusive club after making his 500th career appearance.

The 38-year-old reached the magnificent milestone of 500 career games in Toulouse’s 58-6 victory over Dewsbury Rams at the Stade Ernest-Wallon on Saturday night.

Hansen has played for five clubs during his stellar playing career as well as representing New Zealand, Samoa and the Exiles in the representative arena.

Hansen’s remarkable appearance achievement is as follows: Toulouse (79), Widnes (33), Leigh (84), Salford (52), Wigan (242), Exiles (1), Samoa (8) and New Zealand (1).

Auckland-born Hansen’s most memorable stint came in the cherry and white of Wigan, spending 10 seasons at the Warriors, winning two Super League titles and two Challenge Cups.

And Hansen has now joined a club which includes 20 other players to have made 500 appearances or more in the modern era of the British game: and Love Rugby League has taken a closer look at them all.

James Roby (594)

Firmly in the conversation for Super League’s best-ever player, Roby played 20 seasons in the Red V of St Helens, winning six Super League titles, eight League Leaders’ Shields and two World Club Challenge titles. Roby won 39 caps in total for Great Britain and England.

MY ULTIMATE TEAM: Kyle Amor names his greatest 13 from players he played alongside, including James Roby

Kevin Sinfield (569)

Sinfield holds the record for most Super League points with 3,443 to his name, almost 1,000 more than second-placed Danny Brough. The Rhinos legend won seven Super League titles in his time in blue and amber as well as three World Club Challenge titles, three League Leaders’ Shields and two Challenge Cups. Sinfield won 40 international caps for Great Britain and England.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The Leeds Rhinos side from that Ryan Hall game against Huddersfield Giants in 2015

Keith Senior (559)

One of the finest British centres there’s ever been. Senior was part of the iconic Sheffield Eagles side that won the Challenge Cup in 1998 and won four Super League Grand Finals with Leeds as well as two World Club Challenge titles. He won 43 caps for Great Britain and England.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Sheffield Eagles’ 1998 Challenge Cup final winners

Jamie Peacock (557)

Undoubtedly one of the best forwards Super League has seen. Peacock is regarded as a legend at Bradford and Leeds: and rightly so. In total, the former Great Britain and England international won nine Super League titles, four Challenge Cups, four World Club Challenge titles and five League Leaders’ Shields. He even won the Man of Steel award in 2003.

MY ULTIMATE TEAM: Paul Wellens selects his best 1-13 of players he’s played alongside, including Jamie Peacock

Micky Higham (554)

Higham enjoyed a stellar playing career across the north west, starting and finishing his career at hometown club Leigh with spells at St Helens, Wigan and Warrington between both of his Leigh stints. The former Great Britain and England international won three Challenge Cups during his time with Warrington.

Chris Hill (553)

Huddersfield prop Hill has enjoyed a phenomenal career in the British game, having started his career with Leigh back in 2005. The 36-year-old has represented England in the last three World Cups and has been named in the Super Dream Team on three occasions (2012, 2014 and 2016).

Danny Brough (537)

Brough played for seven clubs across his 19-year playing career: all of them being in Yorkshire! He donned the colours of Dewsbury, York, Hull FC, Castleford, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Bradford. He was a Scotland stalwart, too, representing the Bravehearts in three World Cups.

MY ULTIMATE TEAM: Steve McCormack picks his greatest 13 of players he’s coached, including Scotland icon Danny Brough

Paul Sykes (534)

Sykes is still playing for his hometown club Dewsbury in the Championship at the young age of 42! The former Great Britain international was part of the England squad that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2008. Sykes has played for Bradford, London, Bradford, Wakefield, Featherstone and Dewsbury since making his professional debut all the way back in 1999.

Paul Wellens (530)

The now St Helens coach spent all of his playing career as a one-club man with his hometown club Saints, winning five Super League titles, five Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenge titles. Wellens won 31 international caps in total for Great Britain and England.

Keiron Cunningham (526)

Similar to Wellens, Cunningham retired as a one-club man having made 496 appearances for hometown club St Helens between 1994 and 2010. He also won 26 international caps: 14 for Great Britain and 13 for Wales. He was also named in the Super League Dream Team seven times.

Leon Pryce (525)

The Bradfordian enjoyed a successful 20-season playing career with Bradford, St Helens, Catalans and Hull FC. A former Harry Sunderland Trophy and Lance Todd Trophy winner, Pryce won 24 international caps for Great Britain and England.

MY ULTIMATE TEAM: Leon Pryce selects his best 1-13 including St Helens, Great Britain legends

Rob Burrow (523)

Burrow was a key member of Leeds’ golden generation, having been a mainstay in blue and amber during his entire playing career between 2001 and 2017, winning eight Super League titles, three League Leaders’ Shields, two Challenge Cups and three World Club Challenge titles. Burrow, who sadly passed away from motor neurone disease earlier this year, won 18 caps for Great Britain and England on the international stage.

Stuart Littler (520)

Littler is a Salford icon, having scored 113 tries in 329 appearances for the Reds between 1998 and 2010 before spending four seasons with Leigh, playing more than 100 games for the then Centurions. He played three seasons at the back end of his career with Rochdale and Swinton. Littler won 21 caps for Ireland on the international stage, representing his Irish heritage in the 2008 and 2013 World Cups.

Ben Westwood (520)

The 27-time England international came through the ranks at Wakefield Trinity but became a legend at Warrington, scoring 128 tries and kicking 83 goals in 446 games for the Wolves. Westwood, who was named in the Super League Dream Team on four occasions, won three Challenge Cups with Warrington.

MY ULTIMATE TEAM: Jon Clarke picks his best 13 of players he’s played alongside, including Ben Westwood

Danny Tickle (518)

Tickle played for eight clubs throughout his playing career: Halifax, Wigan, Hull FC, Widnes, Castleford, Leigh, Hull KR and Workington, with his most memorable spells coming for Wigan and Hull between 2002 and 2013. He racked up more than 2,500 points in his career. The 41-year-old earned a solitary cap for England in 2009.

Ian Watson (518)

Wales legend Watson came through the ranks at his boyhood club Salford and went on to play for Swinton, Widnes, Rochdale, Oldham, Halifax and Leigh throughout his 20-year playing career between 1994 and 2014.  Watson won 30 caps for Wales on the international stage, representing his Welsh heritage in the 2000 World Cup and 2011 Four Nations.

Jon Wilkin (517)

Wilkin had an exceptional playing career, coming through the ranks at his hometown club Hull KR before joining St Helens in 2002. The now Sky Sports pundit spent 17 seasons at Saints, winning a Super League title, four Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge title. Wilkin spent the final chapter of his career with Toronto Wolfpack before hanging up his boots in 2020. Wilkin won 16 international caps for Great Britain and England.

Oliver Wilkes (515)

Cumbrian prop Wilkes enjoyed a well-travelled career, playing for as many as 11 clubs! He represented Sheffield, Huddersfield, Keighley, Leigh, Whitehaven, Wigan, Widnes, Wakefield, Harlequins, Barrow and Workington between 1998 and 2019. Wilkes also won 17 international caps for Scotland, representing his Scottish heritage at the 2008 and 2013 World Cups.

Sean O’Loughlin (506)

Like several other names in this long list, O’Loughlin is regarded as one of the best British forwards that Super League has seen. The 41-year-old finished his career in 2020 as a one-club man, having serviced Wigan with distinction for 19 seasons, winning four Super League titles, three League Leaders’ Shields, two Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge title. A former Great Britain and England stalwart, O’Loughlin was named in the Super League Dream Team eight times.

MY ULTIMATE TEAM: Joel Tomkins names his greatest 1-17 of players he played alongside, including Sean O’Loughlin

Andy Lynch (506)

It’d probably be fair to say that Lynch was one of the more underrated props of the Super League era: but he served Bradford, Hull FC and Castleford with distinction. Lynch, who captained the Bulls in 2010 and 2011, won five caps for England and made a solitary appearance for Great Britain in 2007. A proper old school front-rower.

Harrison Hansen (500)

Last but by no means least is Hansen, the man who this entire feature is dedicated to following his proud achievement on Saturday night. Although born in New Zealand, Hansen, the son of former Salford and Swinton player Shane Hansen, has only ever played his club rugby in the northern hemisphere, having represented Wigan, Salford, Leigh, Widnes and Toulouse since his professional debut for Wigan back in 2004.

Hansen became an iconic forward whilst at Wigan, scoring 43 tries in 242 games for the Warriors across 10 seasons, winning two Super League titles and two Challenge Cups.

Hansen made his international debut for New Zealand in 2006 before representing his Samoan heritage in two World Cups. He’s had an incredible playing career. Here’s to the next 500, Harrison!

Stats courtesy of Rugby League Record Keepers’ Club

READ NEXT: Every Super League club’s quota spots situation after Jarrod Wallace makes Catalans Dragons debut