Jake Wingfield signs one-year St Helens extension

St Helens have tied down loose forward Jake Wingfield on a new one-year contract, according to BBC Sport. The 25-year-old will stay at the club for the coming season.

Saints' own announcement is headlined "Jake Wingfield extends with Saints for 2027", which points to the deal covering the 2027 campaign. St Helens published the news on their site.

A loose forward is one of the mobile players in a rugby league pack. Loose forwards are usually involved in tackling across the field and in carrying the ball into contact, and they need stamina as well as strength.

Wingfield's route to Saints is an unusual one. He spent part of his childhood in Australia with the Parramatta Eels, the Sydney club in the NRL, the top men's competition there. He then came through the St Helens academy, the club's youth system, and has now made 69 appearances for the first team.

His biggest moments came in 2022. He played in Saints' Super League Grand Final win that year, the decider of England's top competition. The following February he was part of the side that beat Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge, a match between the Super League champions and the NRL champions.

His season was cut short in April. Wingfield suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, a tear to one of the main ligaments that hold the knee steady. It is a serious injury that takes many months to come back from, and the news of his new contract comes after that setback.

Plenty of players return from an ACL tear with a clear plan and a long rehabilitation. For Saints, keeping a 25-year-old who has played in both a domestic final and an international club showpiece gives them a known quantity heading into next season.