Hilaire loyal to the cause

Marcus St Hilaire

CENTRE Marcus St Hilaire has signed a new one-year contract which means it will be business as usual on the Oldham Roughyeds’ right flank in the coming season.

The 33-year-old former Super League star was winger Lucas Onyango’s inside partner in 20 of the Roughyeds’ 28 games in cup and league in 2010.

Onyango took a pay cut to sign a similar deal last week, and St Hilaire has followed suit, so coach Tony Benson will once again be in a position to rely on his right-wing combination.

A delighted Benson has spoken in glowing terms of the loyalty being shown to the club by senior players at a time when budgets have to be trimmed.

“Marcus has taken a pretty hefty cut,” revealed Benson. “He could have gone to one of any number of clubs, but he didn’t want to move. I really appreciate that. He has been very loyal.

“He is a top pro — probably the most professional player I have ever coached. He has forgotten more about rugby than some players will ever know and he is always ready to give younger boys the benefit of his experience.

“He commands a lot of respect in the dressing room. When he speaks the others listen.”

It will be St Hilaire’s fourth season with the Roughyeds. Having spent the whole of his earlier career in Super League with Huddersfield, Leeds and Bradford, he joined Oldham on a two-year contract at the start of the 2008 season.

His overall Roughyeds record is 73 appearances and 29 tries, but he is equally well admired for his defence and his reading of defensive situations as he is for his attacking prowess.