The RFL have selected a 15-man England Lions team for the Commonwealth Championships at the end of this month with players from 12 different clubs ranging from the Cumbrian coast in the west to Humberside in the east.
Coaches Kelvin Locket and Colin Phillips will take charge of a squad drawn from the best non-professional Under-19 players in the country. It includes Wigan St Patricks half-back Joe Prior, who has been on the books of Wigan Warriors and recently spent time in Australia with Tweed Heads Seagulls.
Three other players have been with Super League Academies – full-back Jack Lazenby and loose forward George Lawler were both with Hull FC but are currently playing for West Hull and Norland Sharks respectively – and Wigan St Patrick’s other representative, full-back Curtis Edwards-Hampson, played for Widnes Vikings.
York Acorn loose forward Harry Bromwich was previously with Featherstone Rovers while Leigh Miners Rangers’ second-rower Mark Nicholson has played for Leigh Centurions.None of the squad have previously played for England Lions, although all have been involved with country representative rugby and Kells’ Connor Holliday was in the Lions squad last season but had to withdraw injured.
ENGLAND
Joe Bold (Egremont Rangers), Harry Bromwich (York Acorn), Lewis Campion (East Hull), Josh Crehan (Thatto Heath Crusaders), Luke Davidson (Wath Brow Hornets), Curtis Edwards-Hampson (Wigan St Patricks), Nathan Grant (West Hull), Connor Holiday (Kells), Kyran Knapper (Pilkington Recs), George Lawler (Norland Sharks), Jack Lazenby (West Hull), Alex McPolin (Leigh Miners Rangers), Rob Meadows (Chorley Panthers), Mark Nicholson (Leigh Miners Rangers), Joe Prior (Wigan St Patricks).
Staff: Kelvin Locket (coach), Colin Philips (coach), Peter Longbottom (kit man), Stuart Prior (logistics manager), Alan Davidson (team manager).
In the RLCC2014 tournament at Cumbernauld’s Broadwood Stadium in North Lanarkshire, which is part of the Homecoming Scotland festival of events, England are last in action against Cananda at 2.15pm on Friday 27 June before facing Papua New Guinea at 3.55pm and finishing their group games against South Africa at 5.35pm. They will return the next day for the play-offs and semi-finals stage. Entry on both days is FREE.