TheSydney Roosters will rest skipper Boyd Cordner from this weekend’s World Club Challenge in England against St Helens.

The club confirmed the decision while in Barcelona ahead of the game.

“It’s a hard pill to swallow,” Cordner told Nine newspapers.

“They’re discussions that have been happening for a few years now. I missed the start of the pre-season last year; first with pneumonia and then a calf injury.

“I had one week of prep heading into the season.”