St Helens superfan calls on Australians to return 'World Club winning flag'

  • A video report by Granada Reports Reporter Paul Crone

A St Helens fan is calling on Australians to search for his flag after he lost it during the 2023 Rugby World Club Challenge final.

Ade Cunliffe's Saints flag came with him to every match for more than 20 years and features in dozens of pictures of celebrating fans.

He said: "Everyone wants to be behind your flag, I’ve got so many pictures of just strangers with it.

"It’s me and Saints fans, Wigan fans, Warrington fans, any fans, it doesn’t matter. I’ve got photos galore."

Fans would often take pictures with Ade's flags. Credit: Ade Cunliffe

When Ade travelled to Australia to see his club beat Penrith in the 2023 World Club Challenge final, his flag came with him.

When Lewis Dodd kicked the winning drop goal in extra time, Ade threw his flag to the celebrating players, but never saw it again.

Ade said: "I saw the flag be handed to Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, then I saw Louie hand it to Jack Welsby, and then there is no more flag."

The flag was last seen in pictures of the St Helens locker room after the match, and its unclear where it went next.

He continued: "People have started to try and help me. They’ve gone on social media saying “find Ade’s flag”.

As well as taking it to every match, Ade also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to unfurl it at the peak in 2013.

He took on the mission to raise money for the Steve Prescott Foundation, a charity which fundraises for The Christie Cancer Hospital in Manchester.

Ade atop Mount Kilimanjaro with his St Helens flag. Credit: Ade Cunliffe

Today, Ade Cunliffe is the chairman of the foundation.

While St Helens are unsure of where Ade's flag got to during the celebrations, they have promised to provide him with a new one and even get the squad to sign it.

Tom Maguire, the head of media and content at St Helens, said: "I'm so sorry to hear you still haven't got your flag back.

"Hopefully we can get you a new flag, get that signed by some legends and enjoy some more memories with a brand new flag."

While Ade misses the flag he has carried with him for two decades, he says there could not have been a better place to lose it.

He said: "If a flags gonna die, it died in the greatest of places. What a place to lose your flag, the other side of the world! And it was a world club winning flag."

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