North U18 on England trail
FEB
AN unbeaten run in their Northern County programme, including a Roses match win on Yorkshire soil, has ensured that Lancashire players make up the lion’s share of the North RU U18 Group Divisional squad for a brace of Inter-Divisional games at Broadstreet this weekend (February 18/20).
The Red Rose camp will have 10 players in the 22-man squad which is bidding to propel individuals further down the path to a place in the newly-created England Clubs and Schools Under 18 team that will meet Ireland Schools in Dublin in April.
Yorkshire supply seven players, including captain Henry Forbes from Ampleforth College, with Cheshire contributing four and Cumbria and Durham one each.
The North open their programme against London & South East Division on Friday, February 18, kick-off 12noon and then meet the South West on Sunday at 11am.
The North completed their preparations at Myerscough College near Preston and came through without any injury worries.
"We’ve one or two lads who feel have a good chance of moving forward, although we don’t know at this stage how strong the other divisions will be," says Team Manager Howard Hughes.
"But we have some very strong players in various parts of the team and we’re very hopeful that we can get some players into an England shirt."
North squad: Forwards - Jay Rudland-Thomas (Lancaster RGS/Vale of Lune/Lancashire), Jon Matthews (Prince Henrys’ GS/Leeds Carnegie/Lancashire), Sam Kerry (Prince Henrys’ GS/Leeds Carnegie/Yorkshire), Jon Evans (Kirkham GS/Lancashire), Jack Bergmanas (Prince Henrys’ GS/Leeds Carnegie/Yorkshire), Ross Harrison (Lymm HS/Lymm/Cheshire) Joe Robinson (Sedbergh/Newcastle Falcons/Cumbria), Hugo Govett (GS Leeds/Yorkshire), George Hymes (Hartpury College/Cheshire), Matt Rogerson (Ripley St. Thomas/Vale of Lune/Lancashire), Robert Taylor (KEQMS/Fylde/Lancashire), Josh Longson (Sandbach School/Sandbach/Cheshire) and Henry Forbes (Ampleforth College/Leeds Carnegie/Yorkshire) capt. Backs - Tom Kill (Durham School/Newcastle Falcons/Durham), George Drury (Kings School, Macc./Sale Sharks/Cheshire), Nathan Fowles (Myerscough College/Lancashire), Edward Hainsworth (Bradford GS/Leeds Carnegie/Yorkshire), Ben Perkins (Arnold School/Sale Sharks/Lancashire), Mike Simmons (Kirkham GS/Fylde/Lancashire), Ralph Dowds (KEQMS/Fylde/Lancashire), Will Heylings (Hymers/Leeds Carnegie/Yorkshire), Simon Hammersley (Hymers/Hull Ionians/Yorkshire), Oliver Carter (Ripley St.Thomas/Vale of Lune/Lancashire).
