YEP rugby league writer Peter Smith reflects on Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain legend Garry Schofield's decision to withdraw from rugby league due to ill health.
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00:00Big news in the rugby league world this week about Gary Schofield the ex Leeds
00:05Hull FC and Great Britain star who's announced that he's stepping back from
00:10the sport after being diagnosed with brain damage this all stems from a
00:16detached retina he had several years ago that led to complications he eventually
00:22had to have his left eye removed unfortunately and he's still been
00:28suffering some bad symptoms blinding headaches that sort of thing and he's
00:32now decided that he's not going to be involved in rugby league as a pundit or
00:37an interviewee in the future he's focusing quite rightly on his health at
00:4459 he's obviously got to put that first and so he's decided he'll no longer be
00:49involved in the sport he's had a lifelong association with that's really
00:53sad news because Gary Schofield certainly for people who are watching
00:56rugby league in the late 1980s and early to mid 90s he's a rugby league
01:03icon began his career with Hull was a Challenge Cup winner there then made a
01:07big-money move to his home city club of Leeds was a stalwart at Leeds for a
01:13decade and I think if he played ten years later he would have won every
01:18available trophy unfortunately he came through at a pretty poor time in Leeds
01:23his history when they weren't very successful and he won a Yorkshire Cup
01:26and that was all unfortunately his talent deserved a lot more than that
01:30having said that he's a joint record holder of most Great Britain caps
01:34captained Great Britain in a famous win against Australia in 1992 in Melbourne
01:42and will be remembered as one of the great players of his generation he was a
01:48centre turned standoff reinvented himself really in the play making role
01:53outstandingly successful as I say as a initially as a try approacher then as a
01:59try creator after his rugby league playing days were over he became a
02:04well-known pundit I think somehow sometimes that's overshadowed some of
02:09some of his exploits on the field he's certainly been an outspoken pundit not
02:14afraid to say it as it is that hasn't always gone down well unfortunately but
02:20the thing about Gary Schofield is he's had a lifelong association with the
02:24rugby league he genuinely loves the sport he's a big Leeds Rhinos fan and
02:28always will be and he says it how he how he sees it as I say that sometimes upset
02:35a few people unfortunately but I think everybody in the rugby league world will
02:39wish him all the best for the future and will be very upset by this recent news
02:43Thank you for watching!