TOM van Vollenhoven, who passed away yesterday at the age of 82, was undoubtedly a Saints legend.

But the club had to beat off intense competition from rivals Wigan to snare this highly sought after South African wingman in 1957.

Voll had caught the eye with a stunning hat-trick against the British Lions in Cape Town.

No wonder that he began to attract interest from leading rugby league clubs like Saints and Wigan.

As this documentation, presented by Saints historian Alex Service, shows how Voll's signing from under the noses of the South African rugby union authorities - and under intense competition from Wigan - was a major coup.

He cost the club £7,230 – the biggest fee paid for a rugby union player or for a transfer between professional clubs at the time, but his try tally, entertainment and the legacy he left meant it was money well spent.