Former England and Wigan Warriors halfback Matty Smith retires

Ex-England halfback Matty Smith has retired from Rugby League at the age of 35.

Smith, whose clubs included St Helens, Salford City Reds and Wigan Warriors, has called it a day after three years at Widnes Vikings in the Championship.

The most successful period of his career came in a four-and-a-half-year stint at Wigan, winning two Super League Grand Finals in 2013 and 2016.

In 2013 he was also the Lance Todd Trophy winner in the Warriors’ Challenge Cup final success, as the club won the double.

Smith earned four full England caps across the next two years, three of them in the 2014 Four Nations tournament.

His career began at St Helens – featuring in the 2010 Grand Final – and, after a spell at Salford, he left Wigan to return to Saints in 2017.

A year at Catalans Dragons followed in 2019 before finishing his career with Widnes.

Vikings teammate Steve Tyrer is also retiring, while Lloyd Roby, Kenny Baker, Levy Nzoungou, Jake Spedding, Lewis Hulme and Dec Gregory are to depart the DCBL Stadium.