by Tyler Offiah, son of rugby league legend Martin, will join Bath on a three-year contract after rejecting interest from Leicester Tigers, Gloucester, Sale Sharks and Wigan Warriors.
The 17-year-old, who starred for England under-18s at the recent Six Nations Rugby Festival in Italy, is part of the London and South Central academy, which was formed after London Irish last year lapsed and is funded by the Rugby Football Union.
The 6ft 3in winger attracted interest from a number of Gallagher’s leading Premiership clubs, including a visit to Leicester and training with Sale as well as rugby league giants Wigan, where his father achieved legendary status for his prolific goalscoring exploits.
But Telegraph Sport can reveal he has turned down offers from elsewhere and will join Bath in July.
Offiah is currently working to complete his A-Levels at Wellington College, and has an offer from the University of Bath to study Politics and International Relations. His rugby commitments will go alongside his studies.
A number of Bath University students have made their premiership debuts for Bath Rugby in recent seasons including Max Ojomoh, son of former England winger Steve.
Exclusive interview: ‘I want to be better than dad’
Tyler Offiah is starting to forge his way into a promising rugby career, and the impressive 17-year-old has looked no further for inspiration.
He is sitting with his father Martin, who scored 501 tries during his remarkable rugby league career, at the family home in Ealing reflecting on their respective journeys.
Offiah’s exploits with Wigan in the early 1990s earned him a huge collection of winners’ medals, legendary status in the 13-a-side code and an MBE from Buckingham Palace. Outside Wembley Stadium, he is immortalized in a bronze statue featuring four other league greats in Eric Ashton, Billy Boston, Alex Murphy and Gus Risman.
“I don’t know what trophies Dad won, but I know he scored 501 tries,” says Tyler, fresh from helping England under-18s to three wins out of three in the Rugby Six Festival. Nation in Italy. “I’ve seen the highlight reels and people say to me, ‘you don’t know half the stuff this guy’s done’, and that’s true.
“I’ve never seen a full game of you guys play, just clips, but it sure is exciting. One of my goals is to be better than Dad. Yeah, that’s definitely a driver for me.”
That draws a smile from Martin, 58, who was born in Hackney to Nigerian parents and attended Woolverstone Hall School in Suffolk, where he showed talent in fencing, cricket and rugby union.
He played for Ipswich RFC and Rosslyn Park before starting to star for the Barbarians and the seventies rugby circuit where he was scouted by Widnes, who signed him ahead of the 1987-88 rugby league season.
Wigan then paid a world record fee of £440,000 for Offiah in 1991 and he won four Challenge Cups, five league titles, a World Club Challenge, scoring 186 tries in 159 appearances (see YouTube video below).
Martin, nicknamed ‘Chariots Offiah’ for his killer finish, says the two codes are in a different state from when he played.
“Rugby union is very professional these days but it wasn’t like that in my era, so that’s why I moved north to play rugby,” explains senior Offiah.
“Tyler is a completely different winger to me – much bigger and more powerful than I’ve ever been. We’re on our own journey and Tyler’s making his way into the union, so obviously people are going to ask him, ‘are you as fast as your dad?’ That’s a little frustrating for Tyler but it’s just the lie of the land.
“I definitely have a wealth of knowledge that I can pass on to Tyler and he is learning from his coaches in England and the Academy as well. I always say, ‘take the bits of information you like, and the things you don’t like you don’t take’.
“Then you will definitely be your own man and not a clone of anyone. Am I proud of what Tyler is doing? Very much so.”
Telegraph Sport can reveal that Tyler is set to join Bath on a three-year deal this summer, but exams come first.
“At the moment it’s about focusing on my A-Levels in PE, Maths and Economics,” explains the Wellington College student. “I’ve got an offer from Bath University to do Politics and International Relations, so I need to get my grades up for that.”
Studying in Bath while trying to make the grade at first-team level will present some challenges, but the teenager is not fazed in the least. He is currently bubbling with confidence after impressing Jonathan Pendlebury’s England Under-18s in Italy, spending 13 days in camp from March 26 to April 8 and beating Wales, Scotland and Georgia.
Martin, who flew out to Italy to support Tyler, says: “It’s good to experience being in the camp; get up, train – eat, sleep, repeat. You enjoyed it, didn’t you?”
“Yeah,” Tyler replies. “I scored in the first game against Wales and then I scored against Scotland and Georgia.
“It was a great experience but it was tough trying to review in Italy with the heat!”
The teenager is part of the London and South Central academy, which was set up after London Irish went out of business last year and is funded by the Rugby Football Union. He started working with Ealing Trailfinders aged five and previously attended St Benedict’s School, but is now looking to move to Bath this summer.
Tyler, whose 14-year-old brother Phoenix is in Brentford FC’s development system, admits he has set high goals for himself.
“I’m definitely very ambitious, I have all my goals written down in a journal,” says Tyler. “They include playing for the senior England team, going on the Lions tour of Great Britain and Ireland, and being the highest goalscorer in Premier League history.
“Chris Ashton – who got my dad to send me a video message wishing me well in my career (see Instagram video below) – has over 100 tries in the Premier League but I loved him to beat that. Rory Underwood holds the England record with 49 and I want to beat that too.
“I’m definitely aiming for the top. If you’re not, what are you even doing?”
Tyler, who has also worked as a model, is an avid NRL and American rugby league fan.
“I played league for the Richmond Warriors for a few summers when I was younger,” says Tyler. “I watch a lot of NRL games and I’m a Brisbane Broncos fan, so if that’s an option in the future it’s definitely something I’d consider.
“I look at what Louis Rees-Zammit is doing in the NFL as well. I play American football for the London Blitz – I’m a wide receiver – so that’s another option for the future.
“I’m settled in rugby union at the moment, but I definitely like the look of the NRL and the NFL one day.”
Cross-code family affairs
Andy and Owen Farrell
An iconic player at Wigan Warriors, Andy joined Saracens and represented England at the 2007 Rugby World Cup before moving into coaching with England and Ireland.
His son Owen, 32, enjoyed a brilliant union career and captained England, winning 112 caps. He will leave Saracens for Racing 92 at the end of the season.
Freddie and Manu Tuilagi
Samoan-born Freddie, 52, played league for Halifax and St Helens before joining Leicester Tigers and starting a family dynasty.
Sibling Manu – the youngest of Tuilagi’s six brothers – made his name at Welford Road, winning 60 caps for England. Henry, Alesana, Andy and Vavae represented Samoa, while Manu’s nephew – Posolo – recently played for France in the Six Nations.
Mike and George Ford
The senior Ford was a distinguished half-back in the 13-a-side code, playing for the likes of Wigan and Castleford, before becoming a respected union coach with England and Bath.
His son George is widely regarded as one of the best batsmen of his generation, having collected 96 England caps.
Jason Robinson and Lewis Tierney
Robinson became an all-time great after leaving Wigan to join Sale and help England to World Cup glory in 2003.
His son Lewis – whose stepfather is Premier League referee Paul Tierney – played for Wigan, Catalans Dragons and Scotland.
