Shaun Ainscough - Early Life

Early Life

Ainscough's first experience of competitive rugby league football came through Wigan St Judes ARLFC. He remained at the amateur club until 2006, when he gained a scholarship to join the academy of his hometown professional club, the Wigan Warriors. His first game for the academy came in a Junior Academy Championship fixture at Hilton Park against the Leigh Centurions, playing at wing. Ainscough marked this appearance by also scoring his first try in a Wigan jersey. He was rotated into different positions throughout his academy career, playing at centre for a repeat match against Leigh seven weeks later, as well as fullback against Harlequins RL the game after that. On both occasions, Ainscough scored tries, earning one and two tries in each game respectively. However, his first competitive hat-trick came playing on the left wing in a play-off game against the Widnes Vikings. During his time with the academy in 2007, Ainscough also played two matches at senior level, once against Hull, and once against Harlequins RL, scoring a try in the latter fixture.

His energetic style on the wing was noted by the club's coaches, and this continued to impress officials inside the club and out, leading to him earning a place for the England under-17s team during the Australian Institute of Sport's tour of the United Kingdom and France in 2007. The second test of this series ended with a victory for the England team winning 38–22, thanks in no small part to a hat-trick of tries from Ainscough, and another from Richard Myler, who would also go on to prominence in the Super League with fellow Mancunian side, Salford City Reds.

Although he was not yet officially a part of the Wigan Warriors first team, his debut appearance for the club was in a friendly match against Bradford Bulls in January 2008, wearing shirt number 31. It was a successful start for the then-eighteen-year-old, scoring two of Wigan's five tries, each of them either side of the half-time break in a match the Warriors won 16–28. The twenty-man teamsheets for two other pre-season friendlies against Warrington Wolves and Widnes Vikings in 2008 also included Ainscough as an interchange, but he was never utilised in either game.

The start of 2008 saw Ainscough being promoted from the academy sides to the reserve side, just one level below the first team. By coincidence, his first appearance and first try for the reserves was away against the Leigh Centurions, as they had also been for his academy career, although this time, he played at fullback, not wing. The rest of the year saw five official appearances for Ainscough, scoring five tries including another hat-trick, this time against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. He also made four appearances in the Gillette Academy championship, scoring five tries.

His efforts in the reserves earned him a place in a pre-season friendly during the Christmas season of 2008 against Warrington Wolves, in which Ainscough picked up a try following a pass from Cameron Phelps. It was his last match before being selected for the first team in 2009. In the whole of his career prior to starting first-class rugby league for Wigan, he appeared in 32 academy and reserve fixtures, of which 24 were won, with Ainscough personally scoring 28 tries.