‘Billy Whizz’, who turned 36 last Friday, played his last competitive game of rugby in the World Cup final against South Africa in front of 80,000 spectators and a British TV audience of 13.13 million.

His next potentially will be at Hull Ionians’ Brantingham Park – their average gate last season was 250 and their last piece of television exposure came in a Yorkshire Cup semi-final a decade ago.

Undoubtedly there will be a queue of players looking to make their mark against the rugby league convert but Robinson can’t wait to get started.

“I have been a marked man for 17 years of my career and you get used to it (cheap shots) playing against South Africa,” said Robinson whose last game on English soil was for the Barbarians against the Springboks in December 2007.

“In one sense it is good that people see it that way. It is a physical game and I have dished it out and taken it over the years.

“I play the game as tough as I can and if you get a shot in on someone then brilliant.

“I am sure other players will see it as a feather in their cap if they can get one over me but that doesn’t bother me.

“I would never have dreamt that I would be here this time last month, let alone this time last year.

“If I wanted to do it for money or more exposure then I could have gone to a Premiership club or over to France.

“But working all the time is not something I wanted to do. This gives my flexibility to do other things in my life.”