Former Great Britain skipper and St Helens loose forward Paul Sculthorpe has retired from rugby league.

The 30-year-old two time Man of Steel winner has been plagued by injuries over the last three seasons.

"I've had a great career and I have no qualms with retiring. The last few years have been horrendously difficult," he told the Saints website.

Sculthorpe played 26 times for Great Britain and four for England and scored 1,246 points for Saints.

He is the only player to win the Man of Steel award back-to-back after lifting the prize in 2001 and 2002.

His last appearance was in the Challenge Cup victory over Hull in August.

Scully has been a colossus of the game, both at club and national level Saints chairman Eamon McManus

Sculthorpe, the complete loose forward, dislocated his shoulder in the first minute of the match tackling Todd Byrne.

The Burnley-born player had made just 26 appearances over the last two years due to knee, Achilles tendon and shoulder injuries.

"I'm obviously disappointed to go out in this way but there was definitely no chance I could carry on," added Sculthorpe.

"I have a young family now and I just couldn't have kept on running my body into the ground.

"I've had some horrendous injuries during my time but I've had a tremendous career. I have loved every minute of it."

He would have been out of contract at the end of the season and had not been offered a new deal.

When asked about his future plans, he said: "I'm ready for a new challenge and I have a few irons in the fire but I haven't got anything planned yet."

St Helens chairman Eamon McManus hinted that the player may remain at Knowsley Road in some capacity.

"Scully has been a colossus of the game, both at club and national level," said McManus.

"We are blessed to have had a player and a person of such high calibre at the club over the last decade.

"He has been instrumental to both our success, image and reputation. He is too high quality a person and too rare a commodity to be lost to the club."

The loose forward had been linked with both Salford City Reds and Wakefield Wildcats, for whom his brother Danny plays.

Paul Fletcher blog Scully can look back on a career rich in memories and silverware Paul Fletcher

But Sculthorpe said: "It was always my intention to retire this season.

"I had made up my mind long before Wembley and I am now ready and looking forward to the next challenge."

Sculthorpe joined Saints from Warrington for �370,000 in 1997 and went on to make 261 appearances for the club.

He won Super League honours in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2006, the World Club Challenge in 2001 and 2007 and was part of the Saints squad that won the Challenge Cup in 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.