Wales host Jamaica in a men’s senior international tomorrow (Tuesday) at The Lextan Gnoll in Neath (kick off 7.30pm, local time). It will be the host’s first international in South Wales since 2016 and their first game since their Rugby League World Cup defeat at the hands of Papua New Guinea in 2022, and serves as a warm-up before they face Serbia next week in Carcassonne in the semi-finals of the RLWC2026 European qualifiers.
Ashton Robinson, Joe Coope-Franklin and Max Clarke are in line to make their debuts. Wales men’s head coach, John Kear, commented: “It’s fantastic that we will be back playing in Wales after so long away, before the opportunity to take a step closer to the next World Cup.
“We have a mix of experienced heads and those who will be eager to make their mark on the international stage. A number of those players impressed us in the Chairman’s XIII fixture last season, and I’m sure that opportunity will have whetted the appetite even further for a first senior cap.”
Jamaica, who will be coached by Rhys Lovegrove, Academy head coach at Hull KR, will field a squad mostly made up of players playing in the English competitions with the lone exception Alex Young, who is currently signed to Sydney Roosters. Included are veterans Ben Jones-Bishop, James Woodburn Hall, Mo Agoro, Jordan Andrade, and Keenen Tomlinson.
There are also plenty of new faces with possible debuts for Darius Carter, Delaine Gittens-Bedward, Isaac Coleman, Jaden Dayes, Leo Skerritt-Evans, Aaron Smalls, Keenan Ramsden and Joshua Hudson-Lett.
It will be their first game since facing USA last December which they lost narrowly 26-30 in Kingston and is preparation for taking on Canada in Toronto on Saturday 19 October with a team predominantly made up from their domestic competition.
Jamaica director of rugby, Romeo Monteith, noted: “Wales are a good team with a proud history in rugby league. Jamaica remains committed to playing at least one international in Europe annually and we hope to collaborate more often with Wales in the future.
“The game enables them prepare for their European World Cup qualifiers, and aids us in our preparation for the World Series in 2025, it’s vital our professional players get a chance to play together as often as possible.”
WALES SQUAD:
Bailey Antrobus (York Knights), Sam Bowring (Midlands Hurricanes), Mike Butt, Matty Fozard (Widnes Vikings), Max Clarke (Barrow Raiders), Joe Coope-Franklin, Gild Dudson, Finley Yates (Salford Red Devils), Connor Davies (Halifax Panthers), Ben Evans (North Wales Crusaders), Will Evans, Huw Worthington (Whitehaven), Elliot Kear (Batley Bulldogs), Luis Roberts, Ashton Robinson (Leeds Rhinos), Ant Walker, Rhys Williams (Swinton Lions), Billy Walkley (Keighley Cougars),
JAMAICA SQUAD:
Delaine Gittens-Bedward (Barrow Raiders), Joshua Hudson-Lett (Bedford Tigers), Leo Skerrett-Evans (Castleford Tigers), Aaron Small (Cornwall), Keenen Tomlinson (Featherstone Rovers), James Woodburn-Hall (Halifax Panthers), Darius Carter, Kieran Rush (Huddersfield Giants), Chris Ball (London Broncos), Alex Brown (Moldgreen ARLFC), Mo Agoro (Oldham), Jaden Dayes, Jordan Andrade (Rochdale Hornets), Ben Jones-Bishop (Sheffield Eagles), Keenan Ramsden (Siddal), Alex Young (Sydney Roosters), Isaac Coleman (York Acorn), Joe Brown, Jy-Mel Coleman