Family and Fergie helped inspire Bevan French to his latest remarkable performance on the big stage for quadruple-winning Wigan.
NOT for the first time, Bevan French was the man of the moment and the man of the match in the Super League Grand Final as Wigan retained their crown against plucky challengers Hull KR.
His thrilling first-half try – breaking through the line with a dummy that caught out Mikey Lewis, then stepping past fullback Niall Evalds – was the only one of the match, lit up the night at Old Trafford and went a long way to earning the Warriors’ 9-2 win.
That effort helped French win the first ever Rob Burrow Award, which this year replaced the Harry Sunderland Trophy for man of the match and is named after a player who scored his own similarly breathtaking Grand Final try 13 years earlier.
And by claiming that prize, the halfback became the first person to ever be voted the standout player in both the Challenge Cup and Grand Finals in the same season, having also starred at Wembley in June to claim the Lance Todd Trophy when Wigan triumphed over Warrington.
As if that wasn’t enough, French also won the official player of the match award in the Warriors’ World Club Challenge victory against Penrith back in February.
If Wigan’s collection of silver – the first quadruple of the summer era and now six consecutive trophies – is staggering, that of French – the 2023 Man of Steel – alone is something to behold.
And this latest magical moment and performance was made extra special by the surprise presence of his uncle Shannon and younger brother Dion, who were flown in from Australia to see the family superstar do his thing on the grand stage.
Invited across the world by Wigan, they shocked French by appearing at the team’s shirt presentation in the build-up to the big game.
“At the end they said we’ve got a special guest to present your jersey and in came the boys,” explained French.
“I was pretty emotional about it. Being away from your family all year is tough, the sacrifices and all that stuff.
“I remember winning finals and being chuffed but this was one was quite emotional, knowing that they’ve got to experience this.
“I remember the last time my uncle came over he said it was the trip of a lifetime for him. To share these experiences with my family is something I’ll remember and we’ll talk about this for years to come.
“Usually winning big games makes me happy but this was extra special.”
Head coach Matt Peet explained how the idea to bring Shannon and Dion over for the Grand Final came about.
“We had a film made for the semi-final that showed the players the journey of the season and family messages, and the guys were on that,” said Peet.
“Also Shannon sends Bevan these inspirational videos every so often where he pulls Bevan’s game to pieces and gives him a few tips on his play. We quite often put them on in team meetings and they’re hilarious.
“I don’t know if he means to be hilarious, but they are! It’s a real highlight of the week when we all have a giggle at the messages.
“As we walked out of the cinema, Kris Radlinski, the CEO, pulled me to one side and said ‘I think we should bring him over’. The club reached out via our team manager Tom Fitzpatrick and made all the logistical arrangements.
“Keeping it from Bevan was a challenge but real credit goes to Rads. He gets what motivates players and inspires teams. He often comes up with these gestures and moments at the right time of the year. His contribution to this success is immeasurable.”
It certainly seemed to inspire French, who Peet describes as a real “family man”.
Having been in England for over five years now – he joined Wigan at the age of 23 and will turn 29 before next season begins – that separation hasn’t always been easy, not least as his mother suffered with motor neurone disease and died in 2022.
It says a lot about Wigan, then, that he has turned down opportunities to return to Australia – much closer to home and surely more financially lucrative too – instead signing a new deal earlier this year to stay in Super League until the end of 2028.
“I wouldn’t have made that decision if I wasn’t happy with the progress I’ve been making here under the guidance of these guys, not only on the pitch but as a person,” said French.
“Being surrounded by great people every day – all the people we’ve got around the club, the older players, the coaching staff, the people who work at Robin Park. They’re all lovely people. It’s nice to be working here every day.”
Bringing over some of French’s family wasn’t the only inspirational gesture made in the week of the Grand Final, with an appearance at the shirt presentation from none other than Sir Alex Ferguson too.
The legendary football manager, who won a few times at Old Trafford himself in a 27-year spell with Manchester United that delivered 38 trophies, gave a pep talk to the players.
“We reached out through a mutual friend,” explained Peet, who has now won seven titles of his own in fewer than 100 games in charge of Wigan.
“We just thought we were on the verge of something similar to when United won the treble (in 1999).
“We’re at Old Trafford, he led his career developing homegrown talent and with his mentality we thought he would be the perfect person.
“It was epic. As you can imagine, they hung on every word. His presence, I’ve never seen the lads so quiet.
“From a leader like that and a humble man like he is, you could hear a pin drop.”
No wonder it was Wigan, led by the irrepressible French, celebrating glory once again.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 502 (November 2024)
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