League One Oldham Rugby League Club have beaten off serious competition to sign 19-year-old former St Helens prop Jamie Pye, whose dad David played for Roughyeds 35 years ago.

Two weeks into a three-month training trial at Bradford, the teenager decided it wasn’t for him and signed instead for Oldham.

Coach Stu Littler said: “Jamie is a big lad with loads of promise. He’s been involved in top systems at Saints for several years and he won England academy honours, but the tour to Australia and New Zealand was called off due to Covid.”

He was also part of the Saints academy squad that reached the Grand Final in 2019.

He played for the renowned rugby school Cowley High until he was 13 when he joined Thatto Heath Crusaders. A year later he was picked up by Saints on scholarship, eventually signing a three-year academy deal, which was seriously affected by Covid.

Said Jamie: “From St Helens, Bradford was a bit too far to travel and I’ve been very impressed with Oldham boss Stuart Littler, whose enthusiasm is infectious.

“I enjoyed my time at Saints, the club I’ve supported since I was a boy, but the time has arrived to move on and to test myself against men in a different environment.”