Last updated 19:45, Thursday, 31 July 2008

TWO sons of prominent rugby-playing fathers have returned to Wigton rugby union club after starting their careers with the Lowmoor Road Colts.

Andy Brown, a 26-year-old flanker, has been working in the London area and playing his rugby with the Harpenden club.

His father is Joe Brown, a prop forward who played with Wigton during the 1980s.

John Story, 21, also played for Wigton Colts but his father - former Carlisle United owner Fred Story - was a stalwart for Aspatria and Cumbria.

He has been at university in St Andrew’s and playing a good standard of rugby in Scotland.

Wigton coach Malcolm Brown said: “It’s good to see them back at the club. Andy went to university and then stayed in the south so he’s been away for a while but Harpenden are on a similar level to ourselves so he shouldn’t be phased with our league rugby.

“He looks a robust type of player who will almost certainly be pushing for a place.

“John looks strong, too, and I think both of them are going to be excellent additions to our squad.

“We haven’t lost anybody from last season and there have been some good turn-outs at training since we started a month ago.”

Brown also revealed that the club is talking to a Cumbria front-five forward about playing at Lowmoor Road in 2008/09 but no commitment has been made yet.

Stephen Carruthers, who left Wigton last season to play with the local rugby league club, has decided to switch back to the 15-a-side code.

The Greens have also been boosted by the return from university of scrum-half Dan Reed and utility back John Charters. They only managed a couple of games each last season.

That’s more than Gareth Smith managed because of his studies but he’s also making himself available for the new season and that’s good news as he was the club’s top try scorer in 2006/07.

Tane Manihera, the experienced Kiwi who signed for Whitehaven rugby league club during the summer, has intimated he will be returning to Lowmoor Road once his National One commitments have been completed.

Action on the field starts on August 9 with the club trial, which was very well supported last year with almost 40 players turning-up.

On August 16 there are two games atLowmoor Road against the Edinburgh whose first XV play in the Scottish second division.

“That’s going to be a good test for us and they are also bringing a second team down,” said Brown.

There’s no game planned on August 23 but on the 30th Wigton travel across to Tynedale to play in a tournament there.

On September 5 there’s a game against Aspatria while the following day the second team, the Wanderers, play Workington’s seconds, the Steelers, in the Senior Vase competition.