Wednesday 12 August 2020 16:19, UK
Nearly 100 years ago, a Port Talbot native and former Aberavon Quins rugby union player crossed the divide to take the first steps in what would be a hugely successful career in the 13-man code.
Over the course of nine years with Wigan from 1922 to 1931, winger Johnny Ring would rack up a then-club record 368 tries - a record later broken by another Welshman, Billy Boston - including scoring 62 alone in the 1925/26 season.
Fast forward to 2016 and another winger from the same South Wales town and club was following a similar route, albeit to just down the road from Wigan in St Helens. That player was none other than Regan Grace.
The 23-year-old still has some way to go to match Ring's scoring feats, although a return of 50 tries in 94 Saints appearances so far underlines how prolific he is. Plus, unlike Ring, he already had a grounding in league.
"I started playing when I was about nine, just for my school, and obviously South Wales is a really rugby union-dominated area," Grace told Sky Sports' Golden Point vodcast.
"I didn't really know what rugby league was until I was around 13 and a coach came into my high school and he did a session with us, and got a team started up for our school.
"We did pretty well, and I enjoyed it. It seemed like a better way for me to get involved in games as you could come into the ruck and get the ball if you wanted, whereas some rugby union games I'd be standing out on the wing all day doing nothing."
I didn't really know what rugby league was until I was around 13 and a coach came into my high school and he did a session with us, and got a team started up for our school.
Grace was considered good enough in the 15-man code to be part of Swansea-based PRO14 side Ospreys' youth set-up for a time too, although the enjoyment he derived from playing league led to him ultimately pursuing a career in Super League with St Helens.
And, unlike Ring's days when the animosity between the codes meant 'going North' resulted in being banned from union, the Wales international was encouraged by Quins to pursue his ambitions.
"I'd been playing league and union because I enjoyed them both, and I felt I was learning things from both which was benefitting me in the other," Grace said.
"I ended up back at my amateur club playing rugby union, but unlike a lot of clubs back home they were open to rugby league and [coach] Chris O'Callaghan had contacts up in St Helens.
"He said we've got two players who we think are good enough to come up for trials, so they sent some scouts down and then we got ourselves contracts for a year. We got put into the academy and worked our way up to the first team."
Grace has not looked back since making a try-scoring debut for Saints in the Good Friday derby against Wigan in 2017.
His scintillating hat-trick in last Sunday's 48-0 win over Leeds Rhinos further underlined his ability and St Helens head coach Kristian Woolf was full of praise afterwards.
"He's a little bit different to the guys you get in the NRL," Woolf said in his post-match press conference following Grace's star turn again Leeds.
He's a little bit different to the guys you get in the NRL. He's so energetic, has great footwork and a turn of speed that can turn nothing into something.
"He's so energetic, has great footwork and a turn of speed that can turn nothing into something, which he did tonight.
"It's nice to see him get a bit of open space. He didn't get that much last week or before the break."
Grace is under contract with St Helens until the end of next season, with rumours suggesting clubs in rugby union are keen to try to tempt him back to his roots.
For his part though, the wide-man still has unfinished business in league - not least of all targeting a place in the Great Britain team whenever they take to the field again after surprisingly being overlooked by Wayne Bennett for last winter's Lions tour.
"I've not really thought about it too much because I really enjoy rugby league," Grace said of a possible return to union.
"When I was young, my goals were to play for my local top rugby union team and my dream was to play for Wales.
"When I ended up switching codes, my dreams became to play for the first team, but I managed to play for my country before that.
"I'd love to play for Great Britain in rugby league, so I've still got things to achieve in rugby league before I look elsewhere."
