SARACENS star Jackson Wray has been buoyed by the growth of rugby in his home-town Benfleet.

Wray is the honorary president of the Benfleet Vikings, who were formed just four years ago.

And the 26-year-old flanker was delighted to see so many youngsters training with the team on his return to their Brook Road base yesterday.

“It’s great to see all the kids having so much fun and it’s great for the area too,” said Wray.

“I used to live right next to here but I didn’t even know what rugby was until I was about 14 so what the club is doing is brilliant and I can see how much it’s growing.

“When I first came over it was just a handful of kids so to see the numbers growing so significantly is great.

“There are more coaches involved too and it’s good to see because I used to live right next to this park and back then it was an empty field most of the time apart from a bit of Sunday football.

“But I think this is ideal, especially with good sporting schools like King John and Appleton so close by.”

The Vikings now boast 150 junior players as well as an adult side which has been in operation for the past three seasons.

And the club’s chairman Adrian Boyce remains grateful for the support of Wray, who won both the Premiership title and the European Champions Cup with Saracens last season.

“It’s fantastic that we have this link with Jackson,” said Boyce.

“He used to live in the houses at the bottom of our pitch and he’s a Benfleet boy so I thought it would be great to get a local lad involved in his own town.

“We wanted someone younger so all the kids had someone to really look up to and he’s fantastic to have as our honorary president.

“The kids love it when he’s here and they are all getting everything signed and having selfies. “ But Boyce is still keen to make the club even bigger.

“We’re trying to push out into the rest of Castle Point now,” explained Boyce.

“It’s progressing nicely but we’re under no delusions of grandeur.

“We’re not going to take over the rugby world but we want to push on and make it a sustainable project.

“We want to get a girls section going and we’re also looking to take over the clubhouse that’s here because that would another big boost.”

Wray will also continue to keep tabs on Vikings’ progress.

And he remains determined to earn his first senior call up for England having narrowly missed out this season.

“It’s always disappointing not to get picked when you have a feeling you’re there or thereabouts,” said Wray.

“But I’m aware of what I need to do and need to keep working on.

"I’ll always try my hardest to play for England and I know putting in good performances for my club will get me there.”