Jason Robinson - Rugby League

Rugby League

Robinson began playing rugby as a child at the Hunslet Boys Club and then Hunslet Parkside before starting his rugby league career in 1991 at semi-professional side Hunslet Hawks. Despite being offered a contract by Leeds, he stuck by his side, as it would have meant leaving at an inconvenient time. He was later rewarded by a contract with Wigan who went on to dominate British rugby league. His form quickly establishing him in Wigan's first team, as a teenager he was touted as a future halfback or loose forward. He was selected to play on the wing for Wigan against the visiting Brisbane Broncos in the 1992 World Club Challenge.

In 1993 Robinson played in his first Challenge Cup Final, with Wigan defeating Widnes. Later that year at age 19 Robinson was first selected to represent Great Britain on the wing against New Zealand.

After the 1993–94 Rugby Football League season Robinson travelled with defending champions Wigan to Brisbane, playing on the wing in their 1994 World Club Challenge victory over Australian premiers, the Brisbane Broncos.

It was reported in 1995 that Robinson was offered a 4-year deal worth a record £1.25 million by the Australian Rugby League to play down under for the South Sydney Rabbitohs at the end of the 1997 season. He recovered from a foot injury to play in Wigan's 30-10 Challenge Cup Final victory over Leeds, scoring two tries and earning himself the Lance Todd Trophy as man-of-the-match.

In 1996, rugby union had gone open, allowing professional players for the first time, and rugby league went from a winter sport to a summer sport, so a number of league players chose to play part of a season for a rugby union club. Robinson agreed to play for Bath. At the end of the first Super League season, Robinson was named on the wing in the 1996 Super League Dream Team.

In the midst of the Super League war, Robinson played a one-off international for a "Rest of the World" team in their 28-8 loss against the Australian Rugby League's Kangaroos in mid-1997. With his contracted move to Sydney set to take place at the conclusion of the 1997 season, Robinson had had a change of heart and Wigan were able to negotiate his release from the ARL's contract so he could continue playing for his club. He then scored a try for Great Britain in each of the three matches against Australia in the post-season Super League Test series.

In 1998 Robinson scored Wigan's sole try in Super League's first ever Grand Final, which the Cherry & Whites won. As a result he was awarded the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man-of-the-match. He was also named on the wing in the 1998 season's Super League Dream Team and again in 1999 and 2000.

Robinson played at fullback in Wigan's loss to St Helens in the 2000 Super League Grand Final. Days after the match, it was announced that he had signed for the Zurich Premiership's Sale Sharks rugby union side, with Robinson citing the lack of anything left to prove in rugby league and the desire to represent England and Great Britain in the 15-man code.