Warriors legend's career ends early

The 34-year-old Catalans Dragons goalkicking winger announced last month his decision to retire at the end of the season and the end has come prematurely after he was ruled out of the rest of the campaign with a knee injury.

Richards, who has scored more than 3,000 points over 16 seasons in the NRL and Super League, returned to Super League at the start of the season after taking up a two-year contract with the Dragons.

He made just 21 appearances for the French club, kicking 76 goals, but amassed 2,468 points in 244 appearances for Wigan from 2006-13.

Richards twice won the Super League and the Challenge Cup during his eight seasons with the Warriors and was awarded Man of Steel Award in 2010, when he finished as the season’s top point scorer with 434 points.

Richards began his career with Parramatta in 2000 and had two spells with Wests Tigers, where he won the NRL Grand Final in 2005.

He also represented Ireland in the 2008 and 2013 World Cups, courtesy of his Dublin-born father, and played twice against England for the Exiles.

Richards is the latest Catalans player to be ruled out for the rest of the season.

Stand-off Todd Carney will not play again this year after scans on the knee injury he sustained in the Dragons’ Super 8s defeat at St Helens last Friday revealed knee ligament damage while prop Antonia Maria has similarly been ruled out for the rest of the season.

In addition, winger Jodie Broughton will be out for two weeks with a quad injury and second rower Justin Horo is facing a three-week lay-off with an ankle injury.