Book excerpt: Sean Long is one of the finest rugby league half-backs to ever pick up the oval ball. Long started his pro career at his hometown club Wigan Warriors and, after a short stop-over at Widnes, he was signed by St Helens in 1997 to fill the boots of another Saints legend, Bobby Goulding. It wasn't long before the Knowsley Road faithful took Longy to their hearts. Long has won every major honour in the game at club level and is the only player in Challenge Cup history to win the Lance Todd Trophy three times as man of the match in the 2001, 2004 and 2006 finals. He also won 15 caps for Great Britain and five for England before retiring from international rugby on 16 April 2007. Still one of the most colourful characters ever to play the game, he continues to wear the No 7 shirt at St Helens.