Welsh Rugby League Select XIII coach Mike Grady has named a 21-man squad to face the full Wales side in a friendly match at Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay next Tuesday (kick-off 6pm).
Eleven of the side are selected from Championship One sides North Wales Crusaders, South Wales Scorpions and Gloucestershire All Golds with the remainder being Wales Students and Dragonhearts internationals.
The friendly is designed to give the Wales players a competitive run out just a week after they go into camp, while it will give the Welsh XIII players experience they can take back into their clubs next season.
Grady, who normally coaches Warrington Wizards and Wales Dragonhearts, said: “I’m very honoured to coach the side and I'm also massively excited about it. To come up against Iestyn Harris, Lee Briers and the Wales first team is massive.
“Representative jobs are few and far between and to have been given the opportunity with Wales Dragonhearts and now the Wales Select is fantastic for my development, I'm very grateful to Wales RL for these opportunities. On top of that I'm coaching elite players that represent their country at different level and also semi pro players, which in itself is an honour to be involved with such a group.
“Obviously the opposition we are up against are quality, I want the lads just to stand up and make a good account of themselves. Our players will be looking at learning from their players and what standard they need to aim for if they have ambitions to make a Wales squad.
“It's great that Wales are giving the lads the chance to play on a big stage against the country's elite, surely something that's unique in Rugby League at the moment as I've not heard any other country doing it. It's a Wales Select so these boys are considered the best of the rest, and I'm sure they will do themselves proud.”
Wales v Wales Rugby League Select XIII is at Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay on October 15th (kick-off 6pm). Tickets are £10 seated, £5 standing. Call 01492 577900 for more information or go to www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk.
Pictured: Ashley Bateman, seen here scoring in the 2009 European Cup final against Scotland, will be part of a side keen to give the Wales World Cup side a test
WELSH LEAGUE XIII
Alan Pope (Bonymaen Broncos), Victor Coker, Neil Dallimore, Izaak Duffy, Louis Singleton (Cardiff Demons), Anthony Tilley (Conwy Celts), Yannick Parker (Gloucestershire All Golds), Jamie Dallimore, Andy Mousdale, Dan Birkett, Troy Brophy (North Wales Crusaders), Callum Bennett (Prestatyn and Rhyl Panthers), Ashley Bateman, Phil Carleton, Chris Davies, Kasey Hurley, Tom Morgan, Matt Wilcox (South Wales Scorpions), Kyle Scrivens (Torfaen Tigers), Scott Britton, Martin Luckwell (Valley Cougars)