Zach Eckersley mentored by Wigan Warriors legend ahead of derby brilliance
Wigan Warriors starlet Zach Eckersley has been mentored by club icon Dean Bell in the run-up to his sensational derby debut against St Helens on Friday, Matt Peet has revealed.
Eckersley, in only his eighth senior appearance for the Warriors, scored one try and created another as the Warriors defeated St Helens 16-12 to extend their lead at the Super League summit.
Eckersley has already scored in a Wembley final and won a Challenge Cup in his burgeoning career, and now has a match-winning derby try to his name, too.
And Peet revealed in the aftermath of Friday’s victory that Eckersley, who only knew he would be playing at all when Bevan French pulled up injured in the final moments of Wigan’s last training session before the game, has been taken under Bell’s wing as part of a mentoring programme for young Warriors players.
He said: “We have a programme here led by Shaun Wane, where players who have played fewer than ten games, you’re effectively on an education programme to teach you about the club, the past and our values. It’s not really about rugby things.
“Part of what happens is you pick a player from the past to connect with, who you look at, speak with and who you want to emulate. Zach picked Dean Bell: it’s incredible how it turned out, with Dean here as a guest of the club and with Zach initially due not to play, but then coming in at the last minute.”
Bell made well over 250 appearances for Wigan and won a plethora of major honours, and is widely regarded as one of the club’s greatest overseas imports.
Peet also revealed that Bell, who is in the country this week as a guest of honour of Wigan’s, had some words of wisdom for Eckersley. He said: “One of the things Dean said to Zach is that to be respectful of the players ahead of you, but not too respectful.”
When asked if Bell had spoke to Eckersley in the run-up to kick-off on Friday, Peet said: “I’m not sure – I hope so. I think he’d have been impressed.”
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