Jon Wilkin to leave St Helens at the end of the season

Jon Wilkin is leaving St Helens after 16 years at the club

St Helens forward Jon Wilkin will leave the Super League club at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old former England back-rower has made close to 400 appearances since joining Saints from Hull KR in 2002.

Wilkin, who played for England in the 2008 World Cup, made the announcement on his weekly podcast, Whippets & Flat Caps.

"I will not be playing for St Helens next season," said Wilkin, who is out of contract this year.

"It's 16 years of my life. I could have left on four or five different occasions to earn more money but I never did because I genuinely believed in what we were doing and I wanted to be a part of it."

Wilkin has won two Grand Finals, four Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge and was named in the 2006 Dream Team.

He was replaced as captain for the start of the 2018 season by James Roby but has played in all but two of the club's 26 league and cup matches so far.