Rugby League World Cup 2013: Wigan crowd can lift us to victory over France Just look at the current England rugby league team and we've got six excellent Wigan players in Josh Charnley, Liam Farrell, Michael McIlorum, Lee Mossop, Sean O'Loughlin and Sam Tomkins. Now look at the England rugby union team that takes on New Zealand today at Twickenham and there's Joel Tomkins (brother of Sam), Chris Ashton and Owen Farrell (nephew of Sean O'Loughlin), all Wigan born and bred. Cast your eyes a little further and there is Owen's dad Andy, a rugby league legend, on the England coaching staff. Look at Wales and there is another league hero spreading his coaching gospel, Shaun Edwards. I could go on listing Wigan lads who have shone in both codes and it is really amazing when you consider that a relatively small area could produce such brilliance, year after year, decade after decade. But Wigan is living proof that success breeds success. Kids living in an area where a particular sport is very dominant, and where there is a dominant professional team that has won trophies galore for the last 20 to 30 years, grow up wanting to play for that club and that is what you see in Wigan. They have got so many fantastic amateur clubs in the area, producing tremendous talent, and England's league and union teams are reaping the benefits. Chris Ashton and Joel Tomkins were both top league players before switching codes, while Owen Farrell is possibly an exception because he went and played union at a young age but just look at who his dad is. Faz learned his trade under some wonderful coaches and played in some of Wigan's glory years and he's been able to transfer that success to union. I could have mentioned many more players and coaches and not just from Wigan, who have been enticed away by union, but there is not a hint of bitterness in any of this because I've always been a fan of rugby union and I'll try to catch part of England's game against the All Blacks on TV on Saturday afternoon as I rest up for our game. They seem to be on a bit of a roll and their success helps us as well - success in other sports can inspire us all. That is partly why, when I contemplate what I will do after I retire, I am not afraid to consider a career that doesn't directly involve rugby league. I am studying for my Sports Business Masters and that may keep me in rugby league, but I may also end up in rugby union or football. But wherever I am I will be spreading the gospel and letting people know what a great product we have got. Rugby league is going to need people who are not just inward thinking but outward thinking too. The more people from rugby league that we can get into different sporting organisations the better it is for the sport.