FINLAY O’NEILL has been rewarded for his star turn in the Wheelchair Challenge Cup final with a place in the England national performance squad.
Head coach Tom Coyd has named 17 players who will train throughout the year in preparation for an autumn Ashes tour to Australia.
Among the nine players added to last month’s initial eight-player selection, following two trial events in York, is Halifax Panthers’ O’Neill.
The 20-year-old played the full final against Coyd’s London Roosters, scoring a try in Halifax’s victory.
O’Neill is one of three uncapped players brought into the England set-up, alongside Luis Domingos of Castleford Tigers and Hull FC’s Josh Edwards.
Also successfully earning a place in the performance squad are Mason Billington, Wayne Boardman, Chris Haynes, Nathan Holmes, Tristan Norfolk and Jason Owen.
They join England stalwarts Seb Bechara, Jack Brown, Josh Butler, Nathan Collins, Joe Coyd, Tom Halliwell, Rob Hawkins and Lewis King.
The performance squad will meet next Saturday (June 28), followed by a behind-closed-doors trial on July 13.
After that, a ten-player squad will be finalised for the trip to Australia, in which two matches will be played against the Wheelaroos on the Gold Coast on October 30 and November 2.
“It’s exciting to announce this group and look forward to the challenges ahead of us,” said coach Coyd.
“Finlay O’Neill has only been playing wheelchair rugby league for a couple of seasons. He played the running game for King Cross Park, and Josh Edwards also played the running game in Hull.
“In the case of Luis Domingos, it’s welcome back to wheelchair rugby league, as he previously played for Leeds but has switched his focus in recent years to wheelchair basketball (representing Portugal) before returning as a very influential figure in the rapid development of Castleford in recent months.”
England performance squad: Seb Bechara (Catalans Dragons), Mason Billington (London Roosters), Wayne Boardman (Halifax Panthers), Jack Brown (Halifax Panthers), Josh Butler (Leeds Rhinos), Nathan Collins (Leeds Rhinos), Joe Coyd (London Roosters), Luis Domingos (Castleford Tigers), Josh Edwards (Hull FC), Tom Halliwell (Leeds Rhinos), Rob Hawkins (Halifax Panthers), Chris Haynes (Sheffield Eagles), Nathan Holmes (Halifax Panthers), Lewis King (London Roosters), Tristan Norfolk (Hull FC), Finlay O’Neill (Halifax Panthers), Jason Owen (London Roosters).