Talented Kirkby Stephen teenager Nathaniel Twiss has achieved his dream by signing a professional contract with rugby league giants Wigan Warriors.
He started playing rugby league at the age of just five for Clock Face Miners in St. Helens. He had to patiently wait a full year before turning six when he was allowed to take part in full contact matches, playing up a year with the under-7s. He made an immediate impact, scoring a try on his debut.
The following year he remained with the under-7s and played at scrum half through to under-12 level.
In 2018, his family relocated to the Eden Valley having previously owned a caravan holiday home in Ravenstonedale. They lived in that caravan for more than a year while their new home, a derelict field barn, was converted.
Nathaniel and his two siblings, older brother Dominic and younger sister Georgina, started at their new schools, Kirkby Stephen grammar and primary.
“Nathaniel was at the age where he was making the transition from junior school to high school so it was an especially challenging period for him,” his dad, Damian, told the Herald. “Nathaniel’s sporting talent was immediately recognised and in his first week at his new school he was selected to play in the football and rugby teams, playing for the year above.”
Nathaniel started playing rugby union at Upper Eden Rugby Club, and being involved with new friends helped him settle into a new environment.
“COVID was a difficult time for Nathaniel — not being able to train and play rugby was a cause of much frustration,” his dad recalled. “It was during this time that he decided that he would like to play rugby league again.
“Living in Kirkby Stephen and looking at the options with regards to amateur rugby league teams, it was always going to involve a lot of travelling.
“There was Catterick, which involved a journey over the Pennines on the A66 which was probably the closest option. Then there was the rugby league hotbed area of Whitehaven and Workington, but from Kirkby Stephen that would still be well over an hour’s drive.”
Nathaniel instead returned to St Helens, where he played for Blackbrook Royals and was reunited with many former team-mates.
He had only played a couple of games for his new club, in a new position at full back, when his dad was approached by the diminutive figure of former Wigan scrum half and scouting legend John “Jacko” Jackson. He had been impressed by Nathaniel’s performances and offered him a place on the Warriors Scholarship.
Damian, a lifelong Warriors fan, shook hands on the offer.
“Wigan Warriors are famed for the production of numerous world class rugby players. Shaun Edwards, Andy Farrell, Jason Robinson, Chris Ashton, Sam Tomkins and many more have all come through the junior ranks,” he said. “For Nathaniel to be offered the chance to walk in the footsteps of so many rugby legends was a real privilege and honour.
“We were given the opportunity to have a tour around Robin Park and I was blown away by all the state-of-the-art equipment. It really is an amazing facility with everything you could imagine and more for the players to thrive. It is extremely professional.”
Nathaniel said: “I was really excited and, having dreamed all my life of being a rugby player, this was a really good opportunity.”
For the past two years Nathaniel has been playing with the Wigan Scholarship team as well as his community clubs Blackbrook (in summer) and Upper Eden RUFC (winter). This has meant juggling GCSE studies with journeys up and down the M6.
“Kirkby Stephen Grammar School have been very supportive to Nathaniel, allowing him afternoons off lessons so that he could travel to matches,” said his dad. Nathaniel had an impressive season with the Scholarship side, scoring eight tries in seven matches, playing at full back and on the wing. This culminated in him being offered his contract with the Wigan Warriors Academy.
Mum Julie said “We are extremely proud of Nathaniel. He has worked very hard to achieve this opportunity, not only training hard but also having to do his school work and revise for his exams while in the car.”
Damian added: “It has taken a lot of dedication, leaving home at 3pm to pick Nathaniel up from school and heading straight to Wigan for training, only arriving home at nearly 10pm, every Monday and Wednesday, for the last two years. Winter time driving up and down the M6, sometimes in blizzard conditions, has been challenging for us, but it has now all been worth it.”
This month, Nathaniel starts his new adventure by moving back to the Wigan area with his grandparents. He has enrolled at Winstanley College after attaining the required GCSE results. He will have to juggle college studies with training four times a week.
Nathaniel added: “I have loved my time so far with Wigan so I was made up to be offered a professional contract. My challenge now is to impress in the Academy and earn another contract after that.”
