THE image of a young Shaun Edwards playing rugby union for Merseyside Schools at Rainhill in the early 80s stirred a few memories.

Edwards, who had the distinction of becoming only the second player to captain England schoolboys at both codes of rugby, was destined for big things.

Although the reasons behind a boy from St John Fisher High School in Wigan represented Merseyside remains unanswered, plenty of past players of that age group responded.

It was the same year group as Grange Park's Darren Harris - on the picture - who went on to play for Warrington - and future Saint Bernard Dwyer, who also played both codes of rugby at Edmund Campion School.

And Paul Seddon, Dwyer's former school teacher at Campion, recalled a tale from the county trials that year.

He said: "My lasting memory was taking Bernard and Mike Riley for a final Lancashire trial at Cowley.

"Bernard and Mike played for the white side and Shaun on the reds at stand-off.

"Bernard and Mike played wing forwards, with Bernard at open side giving the Shaun a troublesome afternoon.

"For those of a certain age he was reminiscent of Tony Neary for England, who when he left the scrum didn’t stop until the opposition back line knew he was around."