Wales have named their 17 to face Scotland in tonight’s European Championship opener against Scotland, which takes place at Workington Town’s Derwent Park this evening (8pm).
Rather than naming their team an hour before kick-off, boss John Kear has chosen to publicly pick his side for the match well in advance, and there is only one Super League player in the 17 – Castleford’s Dan Fleming, who has already begun pre-season training with Championship-bound Bradford Bulls.
Peter Lupton will captain the team on his own ground, forming a half-back partnership with Ipswich Jets’ Ollie Olds. He is not the only man in the side to ply his trade overseas; former Warrington man Rhys Williams – who has been playing with the Central Queensland Capras in Australia – is also in the side, as is Toowoomba’s Lewis Reece.
There are six players who play their club rugby in Wales, including North Wales’ Christiaan Roets, and five members of the South Wales Scorpions squad.
Wales team to play Scotland: Tom Hughes (Coventry Bears), Yannick Parker (Oxford), Kyle Scrivens (South Wales Scorpions), Christiaan Roets (North Wales Crusaders), Rhys Williams (Central Queensland Capras), Ollie Olds (Ipswich Jets), Peter Lupton (Workington Town), Dan Fleming (Castleford Tigers), Ricky Hough (Gateshead Thunder), Matty Barron (Gateshead Thunder), Phil Carleton (South Wales Scorpions), Ashley Bateman (South Wales Scorpions), Joe Burke (Barrow Raiders).
Wales interchange: Connor Farrer (South Wales Scorpions), Izaak Duffy (Gloucestershire All Golds), Lewis Reece (Toowoomba Clydesdales), Morgan Evans (South Wales Scorpions).