Kevin Sinfield resisted the temptation to finish his rugby league career in Australia, the former England captain has revealed.

The record-breaking Leeds skipper brought the curtain down on his 19-year spell with the Rhinos last October by leading them to the domestic treble and hung up his boots altogether in May following a brief stint in rugby union with sister club Yorkshire Carnegie.

Three years younger than former teammate Jamie Peacock, who this week announced he is coming out of retirement at the age of 38, Sinfield is confident he could have played on and says he could have had the chance of a last hurrah in the NRL.

“Possibly,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I spent some time in Australia late May, went over to watch the State of Origin and I was very close to staying on.

“It’s one of those things – you just make a call. I would have loved to have gone out and played and finished the NRL season but I decided I’ve had my time. It wouldn’t be fair to tell you who it was.”

Sinfield, who studied for a degree in sports management towards the end of his playing career, also rejected the offer of a coaching role in favour of a desk job and is a week into his new part-time role as rugby director for the governing body, the Rugby Football League.