Wales name 30-man squad for u19 European Championships

Wales u19s coach Anthony Walker has named a 30-man squad in preparation for the RLEF Under 19 European Championships in Serbia this August.

16 clubs are represented from Super League down to domestic English community sides.

Eight players are from League 1’s West Wales Raiders while three play for the North Wals Crusaders’ A side.

“We’ve a good balance in the squad from lads playing in Super League academies, Championship, League 1 and some playing community rugby,” said Walker.

“It will be good to see how they step up in the camp in the next few weeks.

“My assistant Wayne Ponting and I have been really struggling to limit ourselves to 30 players due to the quality of lads who have missed out. It shows how well rugby league is growing in Wales.

“We are holding a camp on the 26th and 27th June and the final 22 players will be selected after this.”

The 2018 Under 19s European Championship will be contested in Belgrade, Serbia between the 5th and 11th of August with Wales taking on Russia in the first round of the eight-team knockout tournament.

WALES u19 TRAINING SQUAD: Adam Young (Aber Valley Wolves), Cobi Green (Bradford Bulls), James Bartlett, Morgan Cochran, Cadeyrn Hassall, Morgan Rowlands (all Cardiff Blue Dragons), Dewi Billingham (Halifax), Will Lynch (Leigh Miners Rangers), Cai Ellis, James McGurk (both Newcastle Thunder), Jacob Hitchcox, Mathew Monk (both North Wales Crusaders A), William Mills (North Wales Crusaders A / Salford Red Devils), Finn Swift (Pilkington Recs / St Helens), Morgan Cross (Rhondda Outlaws), Blake Turner (Rochdale Hornets), Elliot Jenkins (St Helens), Matthew Jones (Salford Red Devils), Jake Cannon (South Wales Rabbitohs), Ben Hunter (unattached), Lewis Hall (Warrington Wolves), Karlin Claridge, Macauley Harris, Rowland Kaye, Ellis Simon, James Smith, Archie Snook, Fraser Stroud, Aneurin Walker (all West Wales Raiders), Billy Glover (Widnes Vikings).

Coverage of the u19s European Championship will feature in League Express.