THE 30-man train-on squads have been confirmed for the seventh North versus South Student Origin game which, this year, will be played at Loughborough on Sunday, February 2.
England Universities coach Adam Houston has picked both teams following regional games in December (also at Loughborough) involving Midlands, North East, North West, South East, South West and Yorkshire.
The Origin match is the last stage in the selection process for the 2025 England Universities squad.
The North, coached by Craig Banks (whose assistants are Matty Rudd, Adam Cunliffe, Matty Chrimes and Matty Lynn) are aiming to end a two-match losing run in the series.
Their squad, selected from the North East, North West and Yorkshire, is: Adam Kirby, Tom Whur (both Salford), Finn Balback, Logan Caroline-Hines, James Evans, Ben Grindley-Roberts, Waldimar Matahwa, Daffyd Morgan, Mackauley Stephenson (all Leeds Beckett), Elliot Martin, Ben O’Donnell (both Liverpool John Moores), Tom Greenleaf, Charlie Yeomans (both Newcastle), Danny Salkeld (Teesside), Deusjes Nzage, Leon Stewart (both Hull), Ed Grogan, Max Hammell (both Leeds), Gabriel Parker (Durham), Harry Kirk (York St John), Jake Dickinson, James Leach, Will Lintin, Harry Lowery, Jacob Rennison, Josh Stephenson (all Northumbria), Isaac Coleman (York), Jayden Crellin (Manchester Met), Joe Brittain (Sheffield Hallam), Nathan Groom (Liverpool).
Tom Mitchell is coach of the South, while Kevin Rudd and Jay Woodley are his assistants.
The hopefuls, from the Midlands, South East and South West sides, are Charlie Penton, Tristan Walters, Archie Whillock (all Swansea), Ben Bell-Thorn, Jacob Butler, Harry Holman, Ben Price, Freddie Ziegler (all Nottingham), Ted Davidson, Harry Gray, Tom Hackett, Jamie O’Keeffe, Dan Perry, Ben Smith, Freddie Smith (all Loughborough), DiMaggio Okyere, Nathan Wyche (both St Mary’s), Jacob Rigby (Nottingham Trent), James Boyles, Tega Rume-Tabiowo, Oli Winterbottom (all Gloucester), Josh Charles-Hatton (Bath), Matteo Tafi (Brunel), Ollie Moody (Hartpury), Stephen Webber (Oxford Brookes), Sydney Butcher (East Anglia), Toby Harrison (Reading), Tom Milton (Oxford), Tristan Aromian (Surrey).
Both squads will be trimmed to 20 players ahead of the game.