PAUL Sculthorpe was immense when Great Britain beat Australia two weeks ago in qualifying for the Gi (From Warrington Guardian)

PAUL Sculthorpe was immense when Great Britain beat Australia two weeks ago in qualifying for the Gi

With Mike Parsons

He will have to reach such a peak in form again - as will all of his teammates - if the Lions are to pull off their finest hour in defeating the Kangaroos to lift the title at Elland Road, Leeds, on Saturday night.

I will be cheering on ex-Wire star Scully and his teammates as much as the next man or woman - and that is despite him once breaking my surf board! Of course, I have forgiven him - he's got more muscles than me.

This happened in the early days of summer rugby and themed matches at Wilderspool Stadium.

One of Wolves' big games was to be a beach party fancy dress event for the supporters on the terraces and so, to preview the match, the sports desk decided to ride with the wave and get the team's star player dressed up in suitable attire while balancing on a surf board.

Well, the River Mersey is not known for its ripping waves and the town is not exactly abundant in surf shack shops and therefore we needed to put our imaginations to good use.

So, out of the attic came my Cornwall-bought polystyrene body board and Warrington Guardian photographer Mike Boden met his victim at Victoria Park, where a mound of soil provided the base for making Scully look like he was actually surfing. A graphic artist was to do the rest with adding sea and waves to the background.

But you can imagine my face when the photographer returned to the office and handed back my pride and joy body board in two pieces. I'd had some great times surfing Newquay's finest beaches with my £8 float and there was a

lot of sentimental value in it for me (only joking Scully).

I suppose I only had myself to blame for plastering a budding superstar on the back page of Warrington Guardian dressed only in out-of-fashion brightly coloured Bermuda shorts that even Jonathan Ross would not be seen dead in.

This probably makes current stars Mark Hilton and Jon Clarke feel a little bit better after seeing themselves on the front page last week dressed only in tea-cosy caps while showering in the changing rooms at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

That's nothing compared to another occasion when Black Lace - those voice masters of hit songs Agadoo, Superman and Do The Conga - were to provide live prematch entertainment at Wilderspool in 1996.

All credit to the players at that time, because when the Guardian's cameraman turned up at training asking them to do the conga in the middle of Victoria Park Arena, they jumped at the chance and, if I remember right, it was one Paul Cullen who led the way!

Possibly the bravest Wolves player I've come across though was Welsh Rugby Union convert and ex-policeman, Rowland Phillips. A Christmas edition back page picture was required and it was in the years of winter rugby

when Warrington were leading the championship title race.

Phillips dressed up in a fairy costume and posed on stairs behind the perfect festive symbol to depict that Wire were top of the tree for Christmas! Pure class.