AUSTRALIAN rugby league legend Mal Meninga called in on an old friend in Broughton, before heading back to Australia with the newly-won rugby league world cup.

Mal visited Broughton on Saturday, November 26 a few days before he and the new Rugby League World Cup winning team headed back to Australia.

He had also been in Broughton for a few days before the competition started.

Both times he was visiting Peter Gorley, a former St Helen's team mate.

Peter, a Broughton 'lad', started playing with Workington Town before switching to St Helens and also played for Great Britain. Mal played for St Helens in the 1984-85 season.

The Australian head coach visited Peter in the Punch Bowl Inn, Great Broughton just before he and other locals were off to Whitehaven where Mal was due to speak at the Marchon Club.

Although looking forward to flying home shortly, he had told pubgoers he had enjoyed the whole World Cup tournament,and said there had been some of the best games he had seen.

He also said that the final in front over 60,000 fans at Old Trafford was just 'a wonderful occasion'.

Mal Meninga's Australian side had a glowing campaign in the Rugby League World Cup throughout the Autumn which culminated them beating Samoa in the final on Saturday, November 19.