England and Wales could be poised to battle for the services of Regan Grace as the free-scoring rugby league flyer mulls over a dramatic cross-code switch in time for the union World Cup next year.
The 25-year-old, who has scored 84 tries in 134 appearances for St Helens, is out of contract at the end of the league season in September.
The Welsh regions are on alert, with the Port Talbot-born player having said in the past he had long wanted to represent Wales at 15-a-side, commenting last year: "Growing up, every boy's dream in Wales is to play for Wales one day, and when you say Wales, you mean Wales rugby union so that dream has always been in the back of my head.
"I've never written off the opportunity or the choice to go. It's just if the time's right at some time in my life I would like to try to have another crack at it again and go for it." You can read more about wonder-wing Grace here.
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But there is set to be another option available to Grace with Eddie Jones said to be interested in luring a player whose pace and ability to counter attack make him a nightmare to defend against.
According to The Rugby Paper, who say Sale and London Irish are among the Premiership clubs to have shown an interest in the wing, Jones and attack coach Martin Gleeson "are both championing Grace…and believe he could be the next Jason Robinson". That would be the same Jason Robinson who became a huge success in union after moving from league, playing with distinction for the British and Irish Lions in 2001 and helping England win the World Cup in 2003.
Grace started out in union with Aberavon Quins and featured for Ospreys U16s. He has been likened to Cheslin Kolbe and Robinson and qualifies for England via his dad Leroy, who hails from Birmingham.
