PETER Mata'utia already had a decent grasp of Connor Wrench's potential having been on the wrong end of it.
While he may have arrived still smarting from losing out on a personal duel with the youngster, he has been quick to take the academy product under his wing.
In the final regular season game of 2021, Wrench and Mata'utia did battle as The Wire took on Castleford Tigers and while the latter scored two tries, the former certainly made an impression on him as Warrington won 40-24.
Having now worked with him throughout most of a pre-season, Mata'utia is convinced his fellow centre – his "little brother in the team" – has all the attributes to go to the top of the game.
There is plenty of excitement about the potential of Warringtonian Wrench, who made his breakthrough into the first team in 2021 by scoring two tries in six appearances.
There is much excitement about the potential of Connor Wrench, who scored two tries in six first-team appearances in 2021. Picture by SWPix.com
That led to call-ups to the England Knights squad and latterly the senior England set-up as late cover for the post-season Test against France.
New signing Mata'utia – himself a former international with Samoa – is convinced an England cap is in the former Woolston Rovers and Crosfields junior's future.
"He can go all the way, no doubt," he said.
"When we played Warrington in our last game of the season with Cas, he ran over me. I was trying to get him back the whole game and I held onto that for the first day of pre-season!
"In our first session, I obviously didn’t know him that well but he pulled me aside and said he wanted to learn from me.
"He wanted me to teach him everything I knew because he wants to become a better player.
"I’m really excited for him – he could be a starting centre for England. He’s so quick and he’s willing to learn.
"He’s like my little brother in the team and I’ll do the best I can to help him become all he can be."
Mata'utia and Toby King look set to be Daryl Powell's starting centres for 2022, with Wrench providing back-up and fighting for a spot in the team.
However, the new man believes his assertion to Wrench that it was indeed the 20-year-old who was the man in possession has seen him step things up a gear in training.
"I said to him that I was coming in with the mindset that I was behind him and Kingy for a spot in the team. I was the new kid on the block, not him," he said.
"I think letting him know that has challenged him to do his best and rock up to training every day with high standards."
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