A RISING Saints' star who made his full debut in the victory at Hunslet on Sunday is of impeccable oval-ball pedigree - in both codes!

For 18-year-old scrum-half Paul Wellens is the son of Saints' scout Harry and his wife Julie.

One of Paul's brothers, Kevin, played at Knowsley Road in the1980s.

His other brothers, Brian and Ian, captained LSH and West Park respectively, while his brother-in-law Brian Parkes is another ex-Saint.

Paul is one of a clutch of young Saints who live just a drop-kick distance from the ground in Alder Hey Road, the others being Alan Cross and brothers Warren and Scott Barrow.

A one-time amateur league player, dad Harry is naturally proud of the rugby achievements of the Wellens family, and there is good reason to believe that the burgeoning talents of Paul could take him to the top in the demanding world of Super League. On cutting his13-a-side teeth at St. Teresa's school Paul forged an half-back partnership with Scott Barrow which blossomed further at De La Salle school, Blackbrook, West Park RFC, and the Academy and Alliance squads at Knowsley Road.

A talented distributor and capable goalkicker who landed 67 for the Alliance team last season, Wellens earned representative honours in both League and Union at schoolboy level, and was included in the Great Britain Academy squad which played France at Perpignan and Hunslet's South Leeds Stadium in 1998.

Paul is currently on a two-year contract at Saints, and makes no secret that it was a realisation of a dream when he put pen to paper for the club but, ever with an eye on the future, our youthful subject is also studying for degrees in PE and history at Edge Hill University College.

What of Paul's rangy 6ft 13 stone frame and suggestions that he is perhaps too tall for the scrum-half berth? 'Well, it's been my favourite position since schooldays but I''ll play anywhere for Saints,' he replied - an attitude that augurs well for Wellens' future at Knowsley Road.

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