Wales have announced their under 18 Academy squad that will take on England Community Lions and the Australian Institute of Sport this winter. The Welsh coaches were very pleased with the trials for the side, held in Caerphilly last Sunday where almost 100 potential international players from all over Wales turned up to try and claim a place. And as a result, the 24-man squad contains players from north and south Wales as well as Olly Olds from Leeds Rhinos, Jack Molloy from Harlequins and Joel James from Gloucester Meteors, the youth section of Gloucestershire Warriors RLFC where his older brother Jordan started his Rugby League career.
Olds and James are just two of 17 potential debutants in the squad. Wales Rugby League’s Head of Performance Dan Clements said: “Sunday was a great advert for the work that is going on in Wales, to have such a good turnout for a trial is proof of the desire for young players to represent their country in Rugby League. We were very pleased with the quality on show and the 24 man squad has a wealth of talent. We have two big matches coming up against The Australian Institute of Sport and the England Community Lions in a challenging Winter series, but we are more than happy with the squad we have assembled, it’s great to see the squad being drawn from all over Super League as this only adds to our experience ”
The squad coached by 2010 Wales Coach of the Year Stuart Williams first take on England Community Lions in Wrexham on Sunday 13th November before they face the Australians in South Wales at a venue to be confirmed on Wednesday 30th November.
Pictured: Andrew Oakden of North Wales Crusaders.
WALES U18
Lewis Barnett, Ben Burgess, TJ Collin, Courtney Davies, Efan Ellis, Dale Evans, Chris Leyshon, Daniel Mock, Jacob Morgan, David Palmer, Osian Phillips, Rhys Pugsley, Owen Thomas, Rhys Watkins (Crusaders RL), Joel James (Gloucester Meteors), Jack Molloy (Harlequins RL), Olly Olds (Leeds Rhinos), Toby Davies, Owen Esmor Jones, Iestyn Jones, Andrew Oakden (North Wales Crusaders), Bradley Hill, Rhodri Lloyd, Jack Pring (South Wales Scorpions)