THE eldest son of Steve Prescott has embarked on a mission to follow in his father's footsteps, by taking on the same monumental challenge his dad completed a decade ago.
In 2009, Steve was given the honour of delivering the match ball to Wembley Stadium for the Challenge Cup Final between Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves.
This followed the gruelling challenge of taking a group cyclists from Perpignan in the south of France to London.
Now ten years later, his 17-year-old son Taylor is leading the repeat mission - with the aim of placing the match ball at Wembley on August 24 for the cup final between Saints and Warrington.
Taylor prepares to pack the Wembley match ball
Steve, a Challenge Cup winner with Saints during his rugby league career, died in 2013 at the age of 39 after a long battle with pseudomyxoma peritonei, a form of abdominal cancer.
His immense courage and incredible feats of endurance that he achieved during a seven year fight with the disease inspired many and raised more than £500,000 for his charitable foundation.
Alongside some of the same faces who joined Steve in 2009 – including his former St Helens team-mates Chris Joynt and Chris Smith – Taylor jetted out to Barcelona today.
The squad will head to Perpignan, from where they will begin the ride.
After tackling the route and arriving in the UK, they will take a 26-mile journey up the River Thames from Windsor Castle to Teddington Lock in a Dragon Boat.
Then they will run a half marathon from RAF Uxbridge to arrive at Wembley on Saturday, August 24 – just in time for the Coral Challenge Cup Final.
Taylor will then complete the challenge by delivering the match ball and placing it down in time for kick off – exactly as his dad did 10 years earlier.
Speaking ahead of the challenge, Taylor said: “I am honoured to be in a position to continue my dad’s legacy.
“My dad was passionate about everything he did and the charity was extremely important to him.
“I have seen my mum and incredible supporters of the charity continue the great work and helping those less fortunate – and I want to do my bit.
Steve Prescott said the challenge of 2009 was the toughest he faced
My dad told me the ‘Carnegie Challenge’ of 2009 was the hardest but best challenge he took on.”
Flashback: Taylor on a charity walk with his dad
Ralph Rimmer, the chief executive of the Rugby Football League, said: “Steve was a special person, and it’s becoming increasingly evident that Taylor is a chip off the old block.
“His father has left an incredible legacy, transforming the adversity of his illness into a life-changing charity, and it’s humbling to see Taylor committing himself in the same way, at such a young age.
“We are honoured at the RFL that the sport of Rugby League is represented so inspirationally by Steve, Taylor and everyone else involved in the Foundation, and in this latest Challenge.
“Having them with us at Wembley Stadium on August 24, for the Coral Challenge Cup Final and the first 1895 Cup Final, will be an honour.
“It goes without saying that we were delighted to grant the request for Taylor to deliver the match ball, as Steve did a decade ago.”
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