ENGLAND have named the first players for this year’s wheelchair national performance squad.
Head coach Tom Coyd has picked eight experienced internationals including his captain Tom Halliwell, who is currently out with a shoulder injury.
Also included are Seb Bechara, Jack Brown, Josh Butler, Nathan Collins, Joe Coyd, Rob Hawkins and Lewis King, all of whom played for England last year.
Further additions will be made to the group after a ‘Future of England’ fixture at the University of York on Sunday, June 15, in which two teams of hopefuls will go head-to-head to stake their claim.
It follows the recent tri-series event at the same venue as Coyd looks to consider as wide a player pool as possible in preparation for an Ashes tour to Australia this autumn.
National performance squad: Seb Bechara (Catalans Dragons), Jack Brown (Halifax Panthers), Josh Butler (Leeds Rhinos), Nathan Collins (Leeds Rhinos), Joe Coyd (London Roosters), Tom Halliwell (Leeds Rhinos), Rob Hawkins (Halifax Panthers), Lewis King (London Roosters)
Future of England players: Mason Billington (London Roosters), Wayne Boardman (Halifax Panthers), Ewan Clibbens (Leeds Rhinos), Luis Domingos (Castleford Tigers), Josh Edwards (Hull FC), Chris Haynes (Sheffield Eagles), Nathan Holmes (Halifax Panthers), Jordan Holt (Halifax Panthers), Martin Lane (Halifax Panthers), Tristan Norfolk (Hull FC), Tom Oates (Batley Bulldogs), Finlay O’Neill (Halifax Panthers), Jason Owen (London Roosters), Stephen Reilly (Sheffield Eagles), Joe Wink-Simmonds (Sheffield Eagles), Nathaniel Wright (Halifax Panthers).
