Watch the 'Clash of the Codes' matches between Wigan and Bath from 1996 on Sky Sports Arena from 7pm on Friday
Tuesday 5 May 2020 10:46, UK
At the age of 21, Martin Offiah seemed to have his sporting career mapped out.
Then playing rugby union for Rosslyn Park, the Londoner was already making a name for himself in the 15-man code - particularly on the back of a memorable display for the Barbarians on their traditional Easter tour of Wales.
Full England international honours seemed just around the corner and perhaps the opportunity of being part of the squad for the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
Indeed, the winger himself could barely have imagined he would instead be crossing the divide between union's amateurs and league's professionals later that year.
"I'd had some flirtation with rugby league in the past," Offiah told Sky Sports' Golden Point Daily podcast.
"I remember being at a sevens competition and someone claiming to be from Hull saying would I be interested in playing rugby league, and I batted that away and didn't think much of it.
"I had no intention of signing for rugby league, my intention was to play for England because I'd played for England Students, I'd played for the Barbarians and divisional rugby, so I was on my way."
Despite once again showing his try-scoring prowess for London against The North in an England trial, Offiah was not among those travelling to Australia and New Zealand for the World Cup, with Rory Underwood, Mark Bailey and captain Mike Harrison being the wingers chosen.
Then a phone call asking if Offiah would be interested in speaking to Widnes head coach Doug Laughton set in motion a chain of events which would lead to him moving north in an £85,000 deal and changing his life forever
"I scored two tries outside Rory Underwood [in the England trial] and I thought 'that's it, I'm getting the call for the World Cup'," Offiah said.
"That didn't happen and then I got a random phone call one summer's day when I was nursing an injury thinking 'what am I going to do with the rest of my life?'
I had no intention of signing for rugby league, my intention was to play [rugby union] for England
"I knew I'd out-grown Rosslyn Park, so was I going to go to Wasps or go to Bath and study at Bath University?
"But the phone rang and I can remember as if it was yesterday. Sometimes phone calls change your life and that did."
Offiah set the world of rugby league alight during his first season, scoring 42 tries - breaking Frank Myler's Widnes club record for most in a season in the process - as the Chemics secured a Championship and Premiership double, not to mention winning the Man of Steel award.
It was as part of Wigan's all-conquering team of the 1990s where he truly became a household name though, scoring 186 tries in 159 appearances from 1992 to 1996 and winning every domestic honour.
It was during his time with the Cherry and Whites he got the chance to returning to his roots as well, being part of the Wigan team which took on Bath, at that time the kings of English rugby union, in the Clash of the Codes matches in May 1996.
Offiah was the star of the show in the league leg at Maine Road, running in six tries as Wigan stormed to an 82-6 win, and featured as they were beaten 44-19 by Bath at Twickenham in the return.
However, him and his Wigan team-mates did taste some glory at union headquarters in the Middlesex Sevens, with an all-star side which was a who's who of rugby league greats, plus present and future cross-code stars.
"That was the beginning of professional rugby union, it was Wigan trying to stamp their brilliance and show the world," Offiah said.
"You think of how much the Wigan team of that era, with the likes of Robinson, Farrell, (Shaun) Edwards and (Ellery) Hanley, and how big an influence they'd had on the world of rugby and sport.
"We beat Bath at rugby league and did quite well at rugby union, scoring two length of the field tries.
"When Wigan entered the Middlesex Sevens, they showed their skills. You've got to think of how many players like Vai'aga Tuiagamala, Scott Quinnell, Jason Robinson, Andy Farrell, Shaun Edwards and myself [Wigan had] - it wasn't fair, really."
