INTERNATIONAL hooker Paul Rowley is coming home!

The England World Cup star has been unveiled as Leigh Centurions' second Super League capture in as many weeks.

Rowley has re-joined his hometown club on a three-year contract following Huddersfield Giants' relegation to the NFP. He joins ex-Castleford centre Jon Roper who has also opted to drop down a division.

Rowley, who began his career at Hilton Park before moving on to Halifax and latterly Huddersfield, is thrilled to be be coming 'home', saying Leigh would be the only club outside Super League he would have considered joining.

"I would have quit the game completely had Leigh not come in for me," he reveals. "I hadn't got any offers from other Super League clubs and the only club I would play for below that would have been Leigh. It had got to the stage where I'd picked up application forms for the police and fire service."

But now Rowley can't wait to get stuck in with the Centurions. "I'm going on holiday for two weeks on Friday and then it's down to work."

Rowley left Leigh for Halifax seven years ago but admits that his heart has always been at Hilton Park.

"I've watched Leigh at every opportunity and I've got a lot of friends in the team. It will be great playing with people I know."

He admits that becoming a part-time player again will be strange but has plans to find a job as a personal fitness trainer. "In the meantime I'll be working on the club's Youth Development programme."

Rowley feels that his old partnership with Simon Baldwin will be productive in the NFP. "We've played together since being kids - I know how he ticks and he knows how I tick," he says. "I think Leigh's style will suit me."

The swoop for Rowley has delighted head coach Paul Terzis. "Had we been fortunate enough to have won last season's Grand Final and been promoted, Paul and Jon Roper were my two main targets. Now we've got both of them playing the the NFP - that's quite an achievement.

"Paul's got all the attributes we are looking for. He's the right age, right attitude, right skills and he's a local lad. It's a great feeling for me personally to know that I'll be working with players of the highest quality."

Terzis is also hopeful that he'll persuade one of Rowley's best mates, prop or second row Richard Marshall, to join him at Leigh.

Marshall, player of the year with Huddersfield in 2000, is Warrington born and lives in Lowton.

"We're still talking and hopefully a deal can be struck before the weekend," added Terzis.

Leigh have also continued their recruiting from Wigan's Alliance side with the capture of outside back Chris Irwin. The 20-year-old, six-footer plays either full-back, centre or wing and was wanted by both London Broncos and Wakefield.