ISA'S BIG INTEREST

Willie relishes shot at ruling the world

- DAVE CRAVEN

SIXTEEN years after his "weird" solitary Penrith appearance, Willie Isa plans to down his former club and make Wigan world champions again.

Tough nut Isa, 35, has made the north of England his home after playing more than 200 games for Warriors. But the Auckland-born secondrow grew up in Sydney after moving there when just a year old.

He went to school in Penrith, who Wigan host in Saturday's sold-out World Club Challenge, and was on Panthers' books.

However, Isa played only one NRL game for them, as a centre, in surreal circumstances in 2008.

He said: "I was only 19 at the time and playing in a Penrith Under-20s game against Cronulla.

"Blake Ferguson was my opposite number. But they pulled me at half-time and I had to go get ready for the first grade as they'd had someone pull out.