It will be a case of ‘Viva le Beaver’ in Perpignan this Saturday as Catalan Dragons forward Steve Menzies prepares to rewrite Stobart Super League history.

Should the 38-year-old forward be given the nod to face Wigan Warriors by coach Trent Robinson - and there is no reason why he will not after another stellar season - then he will become the competition’s oldest ever player.

Born on December 4, 1973 in Manly, Menzies, commonly known in the sport as ‘The Beaver’, will break the record set by Castleford Tigers’ Brad Davis back in 2004.

However, when Davis donned the Amber and Black shirt at the same age, he was answering an SOS call from the club. For Menzies, the situation could not be more different.

Barring their shock result at Salford City Reds last Friday, the Dragons have been on fire this season and are considered by many to be strong title contenders. Menzies has been a key cog in their wheel, too, despite his mounting years.

His secret? Like many of his evergreen contemporaries in other sports, Menzies simply enjoys what he does.

“I knew that the record was coming up this season, but I didn’t know it was this exact weekend,” Menzies said.

“It’s obviously a very nice record to have, even thought it’s one for being very old! It is something that I am proud of, and I am proud that I can still compete at this level.

“I am enjoying it. If I wasn’t then I wouldn’t want to keep doing it.

“I’m sure Brad Davis might sleep a little easier now! I remember when he came back for Castleford, and the circumstances were not exactly the same as mine, so it’s definitely something for me to be proud of.”

Menzies has made a significant contribution to the success of the Catalan club since he headed to the south of France at the start of the 2011 season. Prior to that, he excelled in his two years at Bradford Bulls.

But it is for his exploits at the Manly Sea Eagles that Menzies is better known.

Despite being a forward, his 180 tries are the second-most in the history of the NRL and, when he left the club as a Grand Final winner in 2008, he was level with Terry Lamb as the competition’s all-time appearance maker.

Manly offered him a one-off game in 2009 to break the record, but Menzies declined on account of not wanting to sully the milestone. Since then, he has made 84 Super League appearances and is not ruling out heading into a century by playing on in to 2013.

“I’m not entirely sure what I plan to do at this stage - hopefully I will make a decision soon,” he added.

“I am still loving training and the playing and my body feels really good. If I am happy with the level I am playing at, and I can keep competing at that level, then I probably will.

“My biggest fear is playing too long and people looking at me saying: ‘Look at him, he used to be good. Look at him now, what’s he doing?’

“But, if I can still compete, I’ll be happy.”