PERHAPS Saints fans who bump into Regan Grace should tell him there’s no way he’ll ever score the winning try at Old Trafford or Wembley!

While that may seem a strange thing to say, it is just the kind of motivation that led to the Welsh flying winger turning up at the Totally Wicked Stadium in the first place.

For the Port Talbot-born 21-year-old could easily have taken a professional rugby union route, having represented his country from the age of 15 and progressing to the Ospreys academy.

But at 17 he turned his back on what he knew to make a new life for himself up north.

And with the breakthrough Super League season he enjoyed last year, capped off with a new contract and a World Cup adventure in Australia and Papua New Guinea, it is clear he made a wise choice.

“It probably attracted me to the move to St Helens with people back home telling me I couldn’t do it, that nobody ever goes from Wales and plays Super League,” said Grace, who had also previously played a bit of rugby league with South Wales Scorpions.

“But I was up for the challenge. Mostly when people tell me I can’t do something I’ll try and do it to prove them wrong.”

Since that incredible two-try debut against Wigan in 2017 it’s been something of a whirlwind period for a rookie who was nominated as Super League’s Young Player of the Year.

He has taken so much on board that will help him feel even more prepared for this fiercest of competitive sports in 2018.

“I literally learnt something new every week last year and continue to do so,” he said.

He can see the development in himself over the past 12 months.

“I think I can read the game a lot more than I used to,” he said.

“There are things I now do automatically whereas before I’d have to be reminding myself to do it before a game, so that’s great.”

There is one area of his Super League rise that he still can’t get his head round though – fans wanting selfies with him and his autograph.

“It’s crazy mad, but I love it though,” he said.

“It’s like nothing I’ve experienced before. Back home, rugby’s big, but it’s nothing like it is in St Helens and how passionate everyone is.

“When you’re walking around you see a Saints shirt every day. And being in a position that everybody knows who you are, it’s both mad and amazing.”

He’s now focused on dealing with 2018 in the same way as last year.

“I just looked at it week by week instead of looking further down the line,” he said.

“It’s the same this year, I’ll be looking at every game one by one.

“I just want to get regular football, stay injury-free and then take it as it comes.”