Scholar Peet's lessons for Wigan's Cup quest

Anyone who has been watching 'Winning Time' on Sky Atlantic in recent weeks will know of the Los Angeles Lakers' 1980 NBA Championship-winning coach Paul Westhead's penchant for quoting lines from Shakespeare plays, which stemmed from his background as an English teacher.

English is a subject which is close to Matt Peet's heart as well, having obtained a 2:1 degree from Manchester Metropolitan University in it, although the Wigan Warriors head coach's preference is more for poetry, citing everything from the romanticism of William Blake to the beatnik works of Jack Kerouac as his favourites.

Unlike Westhead, you will probably not hear Peet reading passages to inspire his players ahead of this Saturday's Betfred Challenge Cup final against Huddersfield Giants. Nonetheless, his studies have served the 37-year-old well throughout his career and life.

"I think I just wanted to go to university to stop myself getting a job yet," first-year head coach Peet, who has worked his way up through various behind-the-scenes roles at the Warriors to the top job, said. "English was a subject I was decent at, I enjoyed studying it and reading.

"I didn't want to do PE, which probably would have been the obvious thing at the time, but it's funny how things turn out where I've ended up working back in sport.

"I do think what I learnt and the experiences I had opened up my eyeballs a bit and I think that's what university and studying does.

"You meet new people, get out of the town and that and travelling have broadened my thinking a little bit."

History is another subject Peet is passionate about as well, particularly the storied history of his hometown club which he now finds himself in charge of after succeeding Adrian Lam over the