GREAT BRITAIN TEACHERS, who pushed England Universities hard before losing the 2025 President’s Cup clash between the sides 26-16, will be aiming to exact revenge when the teams meet on Wednesday (April 29, 7.30pm) in the opening game of this year’s competition, which also involves UK Armed Forces.
The match will – as last year – be played at Lock Lane and the Teachers, coached by Matt Thompson, have named a 34-man squad: Aaron Hall, Alex Pendlebury, Bailey Dawson, Brandon Worsley, Callum Bennett, Dominic Horn, Edward Brown, Henry Higginson, Jack Walton, James Jackson, Joe Edwards, Jordan Siddons, Kieran Moran, Kieran Thomas, Lewis Holgate, Liam Welham, Louis Barrett, Luke Mitchell-Johnson, Luke Rowlands, Niam O’Grady, Ryan Langton, Ryan Morley, Ryan Wright, Sam Bardsley, Will Kirkup, William Cooke, Jack Green, Luke Richardson, Jason Holland, Jacob Parkinson, Nathan Lyon, James Clare, Ieuan Griffiths, Alfie Walker.
Thompson said: “I’m really excited to assemble this year’s squad, which has a real breadth of talent from amateur through to full international experience.
“We always look forward to the President’s Cup and it’s getting more competitive each year, which is fantastic to see.
“The competition is a great opportunity to represent our profession and also test ourselves against two talented and equally proud representative programmes.”
England Universities won all their matches in 2025. UK Armed Forces were, like the Teachers, accounted for in the President’s Cup while Ireland, Scotland and Wales were beaten off in the Students Four Nations.
Coach Mark Sloan, who has succeeded Adam Houston and is assisted by Jay Woodley and Ethan Yates, has a 25-man squad at his disposal: Alex Edun, Fin Hay, Finn Dagnall, Henry Lenthall, Jamie O’Keeffe, Max Nissinen-Le, Noah Tyson (all Loughborough), Ben Bell-Thorn, Ollie Paterson (both Nottingham), Ben Grindley-Roberts (Leeds Beckett), Brogan Turner (Edge Hill), Deusjes Nzage, Leon Stewart, Ryan Moses (all Hull), George Moffitt (Liverpool John Moores), Harrison Adams (Liverpool), Harry Lowery, Jake Dickinson, James Leach, Will Lintin (all Northumbria), Hayden Todd (York St John), James Boyles, Tega Rume-Tabiowo, Oli Winterbottom (all Gloucestershire), Joshua Shackleton (Newcastle).
Hannah Waddington has joined as an assistant physio. She will assist Chloe Willey, while other backroom staff are James Strudwick (strength and conditioning), David Butler (now in his twelfth year as campaign as team manager) and Henry Crowther, who is Butler’s assistant.
Goole Vikings will host the second match, on Wednesday, May 13 May. The fixture, at 7pm, will involve GB Teachers and UK Armed Forces.
The round-robin competition closes at Halton Farnworth on Wednesday, June 10 (7pm), when England Universities meet UK Armed Forces.