St Helens captain Paul Wellens has been hailed as an inspiration as he prepares to equal the record for the most Super League appearances.
The 34-year-old former Great Britain full-back will draw level with record holder Keith Senior, the former Leeds centre, when he makes his 413th appearance against the Rhinos in Friday night’s table-topping clash at Langtree Park.
“I’m a big fan of Keith,” Wellens told Sky’s Boots N All programme. “I played with him at international level. He had a long and illustrious career, so I’m in good company there.”
Wellens moved into second place after helping Saints maintain their perfect start to the season with victory at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats last Sunday and is now one match ahead of Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield, who was rested for his side’s home game against London Broncos last Friday but will be back on Friday to make his 412th Super League appearance.
Wellens, who needs just one point to reach 1,000 in his career, is St Helens’ longest-serving player, having made his debut in 1998, and is still leading by example, according to team-mate James Roby.
“He’s a great ambassador for the game,” Roby said. “He’s been at the top of his game for many years. He’s one of the players I looked up to as a teenager coming through the academy. You just want to follow his example.”
Wellens, who lost his full-back spot to Jonny Lomax last season, will once more be in the half-backs as the patched-up league leaders look to extend their winning run to seven matches.
With Jon Wilkin and Kyle Amor picking up suspensions and Willie Manu injured in training, Saints will be without seven first-choice players and coach Nathan Brown has added 19-year-olds Lewis Charnock and Andrew Savelio to his match-day squad, while confirming that prop Mose Masoe will make his first start for the club.
Paul acted as an ambassador for State of Mind tweeting health messages leading up to Super League Round 25 in 2013 and remains a great supporter of our cause and you can see him as part of the film crew for last years promotional film for round 25 (above) with Jon Wilkin, Terry O’Connor, Martin Gleeson and Ste McCann
We wish Paul all the very best for the rest of his record breaking season!