Martin Offiah’s son to sign for Bath after turning down Sale, Leicester, Gloucester and Wigan

Tyler Offiah, the son of rugby league great Martin, will join Bath on a three-year deal after rejecting interest from Leicester Tigers, Gloucester, Sale Sharks and Wigan Warriors.

The 17-year-old, who starred for England Under-18s in the recent Six Nations Rugby Festival in Italy, is currently part of the London and South Central academy, which was formed following the demise of London Irish last year and is funded by the Rugby Football Union.

The 6ft 3in winger attracted interest from several leading Gallagher Premiership clubs, which included a visit to Leicester and training with Sale as well as rugby league giants Wigan, where his father earned legendary status for his remarkable try-scoring exploits.

But Telegraph Sport can reveal that he has turned down offers from elsewhere and will join Bath in July.

Offiah is currently working towards completing his A-Levels at Wellington College, and has an offer from the University of Bath to study Politics and International Relations. His rugby commitments will run alongside his studies.

Several University of Bath students have made their Premiership debut for Bath Rugby in recent seasons including Max Ojomoh, the son of former England flanker Steve.

Exclusive interview: ‘I want to be better than dad’

Tyler Offiah is beginning to make his way in what looks to be a hugely promising rugby career, and the imposing 17-year-old winger does not have to look far for inspiration.

He is sat with his father Martin, who scored 501 tries during a remarkable rugby league career, at the family home in Ealing reflecting on their respective journeys.

Offiah senior’s exploits with all-conquering Wigan in the early 1990s earned him a huge collection of winners’ medals, legendary status in the 13-a-side code and an MBE from Buckingham Palace. Outside Wembley Stadium, he is immortalised in a bronze statue which features four other all-time league greats in Eric Ashton, Billy Boston, Alex Murphy and Gus Risman.

“I don’t actually know what trophies Dad won, but I know he scored 501 tries,” says Tyler, fresh from helping England Under-18s to three wins from three in the Six Nations Rugby Festival in Italy. “I’ve seen the highlight reels and people say to me, ‘you don’t know half the stuff this guy’s done’, and that’s true.

“I’ve never watched a full game of you playing, only clips, but it’s definitely inspiring. One of my aims is to be better than Dad. Yes, that’s definitely a driver for me.”

That draws a wry smile from Martin, 58, who was born in Hackney to Nigerian parents and attended Woolverstone Hall School in Suffolk, where he showed a talent for fencing, cricket and rugby union.

He played for Ipswich RFC and Rosslyn Park before starring for Barbarians and on the rugby sevens circuit where he was scouted by Widnes, who signed him ahead of the 1987-88 rugby league season.

Wigan then paid a world-record fee of £440,000 for Offiah in 1991 and he went on to win four Challenge Cups, five league titles, a World Club Challenge, scoring 186 tries in 159 appearances (watch YouTube video below).

Martin, whose deadly finishing earned him the nickname ‘Chariots Offiah’, says the two codes are in a different state to when he played.

“Rugby union is highly professional nowadays but it wasn’t like that in my era, hence why I moved north to play rugby league,” Offiah senior explains.

“Tyler’s a totally different winger to me – far bigger and more powerful than I ever was. We’re on our separate journeys and Tyler is making his way in union, so obviously people are going to ask him, ‘are you as fast as your dad?’ That’s a bit frustrating for Tyler but it’s just the lie of the land.

“I’ve certainly got a wealth of knowledge I can pass on to Tyler and he is learning from his England and Academy coaches as well. I always say, ‘take bits of information that you like, and what you don’t like you don’t take’.

“Then you definitely become your own man and not a clone of anybody. Am I proud of what Tyler is doing? Very much so.”

Telegraph Sport can reveal that Tyler is set to join Bath on a three-year deal this summer, but exams are first on the horizon.

“Right now it’s about focusing on my A-Levels in PE, Mathematics and Economics,” explains the Wellington College student. “I’ve got an offer from Bath University to do Politics and International Relations, so I need to get my grades for that.”

Studying in Bath while attempting to make the grade at first-team level will be some challenge, but the teenager is not fazed in the slightest. Right now he is bubbling with confidence after impressing for Jonathan Pendlebury’s England Under-18s side in Italy, spending 13 days in camp from March 26 to April 8 and beating Wales, Scotland and Georgia.

Martin, who flew out to Italy to support Tyler, adds: “It’s been good for him to experience being in camp; getting up, training – eat, sleep, repeat. You’ve enjoyed it, haven’t you?”

“Yes,” Tyler replies. “I set up a try in the first game against Wales and then scored against Scotland and Georgia.

“It’s been a fantastic experience but it was tough trying to revise in Italy with the heat!”

The teenager is currently part of the London and South Central academy, which was formed following the demise of London Irish last year and is funded by the Rugby Football Union. He joined Ealing Trailfinders aged five and previously attended St Benedict’s School, but a move to Bath now beckons this summer.

Tyler, whose 14-year-old brother Phoenix is in Brentford FC’s development system, admits he has set himself lofty targets.

“I’m definitely very ambitious, I’ve got all my goals written down in a journal,” Tyler says. “They include playing for the senior England side, going on a British and Irish Lions tour, and becoming the highest try-scorer in Premiership history.

“Chris Ashton – who my father got to send me a video message wishing me well in my career (see Instagram video below) – has the Premiership record with over 100 tries but I’d love to beat that. Rory Underwood has the England record with 49 and I want to surpass that too.

“I’m definitely aiming for the very top. If you’re not, what are you even doing?”

Tyler, who has also worked as a model, is a keen follower of rugby league’s NRL and American Football.

“I played league for Richmond Warriors for a few summers when I was younger,” Tyler adds. “I watch a lot of NRL games and I’m a Brisbane Broncos fan, so if that’s ever an option in the future then it’s definitely something I would consider.

“I look at what Louis Rees-Zammit is doing in the NFL as well. I play a bit of American Football for the London Blitz – I’m a wide receiver – so that’s another option for the future.

“I’m settled in rugby union at the moment, but I definitely like the look of NRL and NFL one day.”

Cross-code family affairs

Andy and Owen Farrell
An iconic player at Wigan Warriors, Andy joined Saracens and represented England at the 2007 Rugby World Cup before moving into coaching with England and Ireland.

His son Owen, 32, has enjoyed a stellar career in union and captained England, winning 112 caps. He will leave Saracens for Racing 92 at the end of the season.

Freddie and Manu Tuilagi
Samoa-born Freddie, 52, played league for Halifax and St Helens before joining Leicester Tigers and sparking a family dynasty.

Sibling Manu – the youngest of the six Tuilagi brothers – made his name at Welford Road, winning 60 caps for England. Henry, Alesana, Andy and Vavae all represented Samoa, while Manu’s nephew – Posolo – recently played for France in the Six Nations.

Mike and George Ford
Ford senior was a distinguished half-back in the 13-a-side code, playing for the likes of Wigan and Castleford, before becoming a respected union coach with England and Bath.

His son George is widely regarded as one of the best fly-halves of his generation, having amassed 96 England caps.

Jason Robinson and Lewis Tierney
Robinson became an all-time cross-code great after leaving Wigan to join Sale and helping England to World Cup glory in 2003.

His son Lewis – whose stepfather is Premier League referee Paul Tierney – played league for Wigan, Catalans Dragons and Scotland.