He moved to Blackpool at a young age when his father took up a teaching position in Lytham St Annes,[6] and attended Arnold School, where he quickly developed as a rugby union player.
Other notable players in that side were future World Cup winners Matt Dawson and Richard Hill.
Despite his school boy success, Mather decided that his future lay in rugby league and eventually signed for the Wigan Warriors in 1992.
He played at centre in the 2–33 defeat by Castleford in the 1993–94 Regal Trophy Final at Elland Road, Leeds on 22 January 1994.
[7] Mather eventually took Wigan to court[8] when they refused to release his registration without a transfer fee following him signing a contract with Western Reds in Australia.
He eventually signed a three-year deal with the club but was unable to complete the move as he claimed to be a free agent but Wigan retained his registration.
After two mixed seasons in the ARL and Super League in which he scored 5 tries for the club, the Western Reds suffered financial difficulties and Mather was released.
It was the beginning of a period of recruitment from rugby league in which the RFU sought to bring some of the best talents to play for England.
Despite struggling for form with his club Sale, Mather was a surprise call into Clive Woodward's England team to face Wales in a Grand Slam decider on 11 April 1999 at Wembley Stadium.