Grace has no plans to switch from League to Union in the near future
WELSH rugby league try-scoring sensation Regan Grace has ruled out an imminent switch to rugby union after fans were left purring with admiration following his latest hat-trick.
The lethal finisher’s devastating hat-trick for St Helens in Sunday’s 48-0 win over Leeds Rhinos further underlined the Port Talbot product’s tremendous ability, with his latest exploits catching the attention of union fans who urged the WRU to get him back, while Australia’s National Rugby League broadcaster Fox Sports suggested he may consider a big money move Down Under.
His opening try came when he took a pass deep in his 22, sidestepped a tackler and ran out of defence, beating another three players with ease to race some 90m and score. His second came courtesy of a spectacular airborne dive to ground the ball in a corner without being in touch, while his third was the pick of the lot as he ran 101m from behind his try-line.
There has previously been chatter in south Wales about him potentially returning home to play 15-a-side, but no region has ever made a firm approach and the 23-year-old former rugby union player is under contract with St Helens until the end of 2021.
And Grace has admitted he still has unfinished business in rugby league to attend to before any potential code switch.
When asked if he was considering moving back to union, he told Sky Sports’ Golden Point vodcast: “I’ve not really thought into it too much because I really enjoy rugby league.
“It’s weird how your goals change as you get older.
“When I was young, my goals were to play for my local top rugby union team and my dream was obviously to play for Wales, rugby union.
“Then 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.
“Great Britain is obviously a dream that I’d love to play for in rugby league, so I’ve still got things that I want to achieve myself [in rugby league] before I start looking elsewhere.”
Asked if he would be staying with Super League big-hitters St Helens beyond his contract, he added: “I think so, as long as St Helens want to keep me on, yeah.”
Grace switched to league under the noses of union bosses six years ago after being spotted by league scouts playing for union club Aberavon Quins.
He had played age-grade matches for the Ospreys during the 201213 campaign and for the South Wales Scorpions rugby league team before being offered a contract by St Helens.
He has since been compared to dual-code great Jason Robinson, who starred for the 2001 Lions and was a 2003 union World Cup winner with England, for his dazzling foot-work, as well as league legend Clive Sullivan, the Wales winger who made history by being the first black person to captain Great Britain in any sport and led them to glory over Australia in the 1972 league World Cup final with a stunning long-range try.
Grace, known for his electrifying pace, quick feet and a nerveless disposition, scored 22 tries in 33 games for St Helens last year, just two behind Tommy Makinson, the Super League’s top scorer.
And his sentiments on remaining in rugby league echo comments made to WalesOnline in July, when he said: “I never decided that I wasn’t going to play [union at senior level].
“The first opportunity that came to me was in league when I had a chance to turn professional when I was 17. I just took it with both hands.
“I thought it was my last chance to go somewhere serious. The move took me out of the environment that I was in and made me focus just on rugby.
“But I have never said I’m not going to go to rugby union. It’s just that all my opportunities have come through league.
“Right now, I’m happy up here. It’s a class sport, I’m with a great club and the supporters are brilliant. I also still have a year and a half left on my contract. I’m really enjoying it.”