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FOURTEEN RHINOS GET NATIONAL CALL UPS
Fourteen players from the Rhinos Scholarship Scheme have been named in their respective National Squads at Under 14, Under 15 and Under 16 level.
In the Under 14 age group six players have been selected. Bradley Adams, who attends Mirfield School and plays for Methley, Brad Day, who attends Boston Spa and plays for East Leeds, and Liam Sutcliffe, who attends Rodillian and plays for Hunslet Warriors, have been joined by Jordan Harper, who goes to Kettlethorpe and plays for Normanton Knights, Michael Learmouth, who goes to South Leeds and plays for Hunslet Parkside, and Scott Lee, who attends Thornhill Community School and plays for Shaw Cross Sharks, in the youngest age group.
The six in the Under 14 match are equalled in the Under 15 group. Elliot Miller, who attends Temple Moor, and Connor Spencer, who goes to Fullneck, are both from Hunslet Warriors. They are joined by Ben Finder, who attends St Aidans and plays for Wetherby Bulldogs, and Stevie Ward, who goes to Woodkirk and plays for Churwell Chiefs, John Bateman, who goes to Tong and plays for Bradford Dudley Hill, and James Saltonstall, who attends Crossley Heath and plays for Siddal, to complete the six.
Finally, forward Colton Roche, who plays for Headingley Hawks, and winger Sam Fletcher, who plays for Hunslet Parkside, who both attend Lawnswood School have been included in the U16 squad which will be coached this year by Rhinos assistant coach and former Leeds and Great Britain winger Francis Cummins. They will train as a squad of 24 before final selection of the English Schools U16’s team in preparation for their annual two game series against France Under 16s at Easter 2009.
The players in the Under 14s will attend a six day National Camp at Mount St Marys School near Sheffield which will include specialist coaching and performance assessment as well as performance workshops and mentoring sessions. They will undertake their activity as two squads of twenty and the week will finish with a match between teams formed from each squad.
The Under 15s and Under 16s will both meet to train regularly as separate squads with their first camp taking place at Mount St Mary’s
The England Under 15s will be coached by Whitehaven’s Gary Hewer. They will also train as a squad of 24 final selection of the England Youth team in preparation for their annual Test Match against Wales Under 16s at Easter 2009.
Commenting, the RFL’s Performance Director Jon Roberts said, “The selection of these squads are an important element of our annual Performance calendar and the successful player pathways that we operate.
“All members of each squad no have a great opportunity to progress as Rugby League players and develop their skills and abilities and we wish them well and look forward to working with them”.
Roberts added, “We are also delighted to be able to appoint talented young coaches such as Francis Cummins and Gary Hewer to these important positions and we believe they too will develop their coaching abilities by taking charge of these teams.”
Commenting on the squads Head of Youth Development John Bastian said, "This is fantastic news for the Rhinos and by far the biggest ever representation we have had in the junior representative squads. The players, their parents and their amateur coaches should be very proud, as we are of the players on our Scholarship Scheme."
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