The 20-year-old forward is tackling his first pre-season as a Wigan player after crossing Billinge Hill in the off-season, having arrived on a four-year contract from rivals St Helens.

Vaughan, who came through the ranks at Saints and made nine first-team appearances in the Red V before spending last season on loan at Salford, says he is loving his time in cherry and white, having made his first appearance for the Warriors in a recent 34-22 pre-season defeat to North Wales Crusaders.

“It’s been eye-opening,” Vaughan told Wigan Today of his time settling in with the Warriors. “It’s been a step up from what I experienced last year, obviously being at Salford, it’s been a big increase in intensity – the demand on yourself has been massive.

“Obviously, my first experience was with the physio with me coming back from my injury, but once all the lads have been in, it’s just been stepping up each week, the intensity has been getting higher, the quality has been getting higher, and standards have been raised.

“We’re at a point now where we’ve got a full squad together, we’re doing competitive sessions, everyone is learning from each other, and we’re all growing, and every part of the trajectory seems to be going upwards.”

Despite joining a demanding and competitive environment at Wigan, Vaughan feels he has settled in quickly – even if he had some initial nerves about crossing the Billinge border!

“I had a tough time playing against them last year,” Vaughan laughed. “I think I played against them two or three times, so obviously I’ve been on the receiving end against the lads, and I was a bit sceptical coming in, unsure on how to form the relationships with the lads, obviously coming from where I’ve come from, but it’s almost been second nature.

“The lads have been fantastic with me, no egos, everything is a massive family feel at the club, everyone is welcoming, understanding and patient with you, especially when you are getting used to new systems and new facilities.

“I can’t thank the lads, the staff and the club enough really for the way they’ve made me feel so welcome and equally the fans as well, we’ve only had minimal involvement with them so far, but when we have, everyone has been welcoming, supportive and it almost feels like a bit of a reward for making the gamble I have.”

It is safe to say the transfer itself was not something he had always envisioned. Growing up in St Helens, Vaughan came through the Saints system and acknowledges the emotional weight of crossing the rivalry.

“I’d never be able to turn around and say this is the plan I had for myself,” he admitted.

“I’ll never be one of those players that can turn around and say I’ve always wanted to be at this club and I’ve always wanted to have the honours of wearing cherry and white.

“It was something that, probably up until around this time last year, probably didn’t agree with myself. Obviously, I grew up a Saints fan, living in St Helens, playing for an amateur team in St Helens, going through the whole system there, but having played four or five years against the academy teams, spending a lot of time with the Wigan staff at Lancashire and England, and then playing against them in Super League, and just seeing the way they’ve formed a dynasty and become the team the beat, especially over the last three or four years… I think the big win against Penrith was the turning point, not only for the league, but for Wigan, and from that point onwards, maybe apart from the blip last year in the final, they’ve been the team to beat, and you always want to aspire to be the best version of yourself.

“Having seen the facilities and spoken to Matty (Peet), it seemed like a no-brainer for me to come and challenge myself, and what better way to do it than in a way that probably only five or six players have ever done in their careers? I was fortunate to come with Dayon (Sambou), but equally so, he has earned the same right I have. I think he deserves it, I think I deserve an opportunity now to grow and learn in the best environment that is probably available to players in Super League.”

Perhaps Vaughan’s initial nerves and scepticism about crossing Billinge Hill were comforted by the fact that he was already familiar with quite a few players at Wigan from representative action with England Academy and Lancashire Academy.

“The likes of Zach (Eckersley), Junior (Nsemba) and Harvey Makin were all the age above me, so I’ve been playing against them from being 16 onwards,” Vaughan added.

“I’ve played with most of them for Lancashire. I played with the younger lads here like Taylor (Kerr), Kian (McDermott) and Dayon (Sambou) when we played for England (Academy) in France, so I’ve had a lot of time to get to know the lads and form little relationships with them I suppose as enemies, but I suppose that has made us grow closer together as teammates now.”