Charnley to be Super League"s new poster boy

Wigan Warriors wing wizard Josh Charnley will take over from Sam Tomkins as the new face and golden pin-up boy of Super League.

The tattooed try-scoring machine’s skill and charisma makes him the tailor-made replacement to succeed Sam who has left Wigan to play in the NRL.

Charnley, 22, who has topped the try scoring charts for the past two season, will be used in promotional campaigns to market the game and raise rugby league’s profile.

Charnley is already a firm favourite with Wigan fans and he was a high-profile figure in England’s World Cup squad.

He is also an entertainer whose phenomenal try-scoring exploits have quickly projected him to superstar status within sporting circles.

Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan believes Charnley is a worthy successor to superstar Sam as the game’s new golden boy.

Lenagan told MEN Sport: “Josh is not only a great player – he is also a great character and his smile says it all.

“He is definitely the ideal player to help promote our great game.

“Josh is a very charming and interesting character. He simply loves playing for Wigan and he loves rugby league. We as a club are immensely proud to see him carrying on the Wigan tradition of great wingers.

“He has the ability and the personality to gone on and really become a very high profile figure within the game. Josh simply has so much to offer.

“With Pat Richards now having left Wigan, Josh becomes our senior winger and I know he will relish this.

“His try scoring record speaks for itself and the best is yet to come from a fine player who brings so much to a team.

“Not only is he a clinical finisher, he is also sound in defence and good under the high ball.

“Josh has worked on so many aspects of his game. We all know what he has to offer. He can do so much in promoting rugby league to a wider audience.”  

RL icon Billy Boston – the greatest winger in rugby league history – is among Charnley’s army of fans.

Billy told MEN Sport:   “Charnley is a quality winger who certainly knows how to finish – he has the ability to score sensational tries.

“My wife Joan loves watching him play – she is out of her seat in the stand every time he has the ball.

“This is the sign of a quality player – he is definitely her favourite player and to me that says everything.”

Charnley, who was born in Chorley, looks set for another big year with double winners Wigan. His explosive form has already attracted interest from the NRL, but he remains an integral part of Shaun Wane’s plans at Wigan.

Wane is delighted with Charnley’s progress.

“Josh is one of those wingers who can make something happen in an instance,” said Wane.

“He brings so much to the team and will only get better. When we played Leeds last season,  he struggled somewhat up against his England team-mate Ryan Hall and we took him to one side after the game. He then trained the house down, never looked back and played a massive part in helping us in both the Challenge Cup and the Grand Final.

Charnley’s pace was first noted by Wigan’s long-serving youth supremo and star spotter Brian Foley. He came through the system at Wigan having played at Wigan St Patrick’s. Charnley played at Blackpool and Hull KR before breaking into the Warriors’ first team.

He came off the bench to make his senior Wigan debut against Hull KR and scored a try. 

Charnley finished the 2012 season with 31 tries and added twelve more to this total last term.  He has also scored seven tries at international level.

Charnley certainly impressed Sam Tomkins – his friend and former team-mate. “Josh has shown great maturity,” said Tomkins. 

“He’s a good player who gets a buzz from scoring tries.”

Article source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/rugby-league-bradford-trio-back-helm-194747518--spt.html

Charnley to be Super League"s new poster boy