Author : Wales Rugby League

Wales 2023 under 18’s

Wales Rugby League can announce the under 18 men’s squad for the 2023 season.

Wayne Ponting’s 31-strong line-up includes 13 players who were part of the Wales U16 squad that beat England Community Lions twice last year.

A further 11 who were in the Wales U19 squad who finished third in last year’s European Championships.

This means that there are eight players who could win their first Welsh cap this summer. Seven of whom have come through the successful WRL development pathway.

Noah Chambers, flying over from New South Wales to play for his country.

The pathway is really showing its prominence in this squad release as it includes 15 players that are in the WRL National Development Academy at Coleg y Cymoedd.

Eight players have already played for WRL’s Super League partners Salford Red Devils at U18 level, with two of them having already signed for the club.

Four matches are planned for Wales, three of which will be double headers with the U16s, whose squads were announced last week.

Against England Community Lions at Abertillery RFC on Saturday 3 June.

Ireland at home on Saturday 22 July (venue TBC) and England Community Lions away on Saturday 16 September (venue TBC). There will also be a match against Scotland on a date and venue to be confirmed.

Head coach, Wayne Ponting said: “Congratulations to all players who have been selected. We’ve had two trials this year, in which the talent on display was a high quality.

This comes down to the amount of exposure of rugby league that the boys are getting through community rugby league in Wales, and the core of the squad coming through the pathway system.

“I’m really excited to get this squad together and start training for the upcoming fixtures, building towards next year’s U19 European Championships and then the Youth World Cup in France in 2025.”

Wales U18 squad:

Mason Apsee (Aber Valley Wolves / Coleg y Cymoedd)
Alex Banks (Torfaen Tigers / Coleg y Cymoedd)
Carter Barnes (Torfaen Tigers / Coleg y Cymoedd)*
Daniel Bartlett (Cardiff Blue Dragons)
Noah Chambers (Woolgoolga Seahorses)
Rhys Davies (Aber Valley Wolves / Coleg y Cymoedd)
Harrison Doe (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
Oliver Ford (Aber Valley Wolves / Coleg y Cymoedd)*
Charlie Glover (Halton Farnworth Hornets / Salford Red Devils)
Jayden Grey (Bridgend Blue Bulls)*
Llewellyn Hawkes (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
Joshua Hill (Coleg y Cymoedd)
Jamie Jenkins (Cardiff Blue Dragons / Coleg y Cymoedd)
Calum Jones (Aber Valley Wolves / Coleg y Cymoedd)*
Lewis Jones (Aber Valley Wolves / Coleg y Cymoedd)*
Connor Lacey (Cynon Valley Cavaliers / Coleg y Cymoedd / Salford Red Devils)
Cole MacDonald (Aber Valley Wolves / Coleg y Cymoedd)
William McCarthy (Aberavon Fighting Irish)*
Dafydd Morgan (Aber Valley Wolves / Coleg y Cymoedd)
Dylan Morgan (Cardiff Blue Dragons / Coleg y Cymoedd)
Ben Morris (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
Finlay Northrop (Bridgend Blue Bulls / Coleg y Cymoedd)
Donavan Rankin (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
Rhodri Rees (Aber Valley Wolves)
Brandon Richards (Bridgend Blue Bulls / Coleg y Cymoedd)
Thomas Richards (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
Bryce Roberts (Rhondda Outlaws)
Ethan Stebbings (Aber Valley Wolves)
Charlie Stoddart (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
Rhys Thomas (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
Cory Westermark (Bridgend Blue Bulls)

* Has also played for Salford Red Devils U18 but not yet signed for the club.

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Author : Welsh Rugby League

A try from Ryan Wood with four minutes left on the clock broke Welsh hearts in their first ever match at U17 level.

England won the encounter 16-10, but there was very little between the sides in an exciting contest played in good spirits throughout.

It was a battle royale throughout the game with two very well drilled defences.

Wales have an official link with Salford Red Devils and this excellent performance from many individuals will certainly give their scouts a lot to look at.

After some good defending by Wales in the first ten minutes, they took the lead through a good run and break through by Harri Ackerman. Billy Walkley couldn’t convert.

England levelled on 26 minutes after Jay Richards twisted and turned to get past the Wales line and ground. Connor Gannon’s goal attempt was swept past the posts by the famous Bae Colwyn wind.

Wales looked to regain their lead, but tough English defence continued to keep them out and the scores were still level at 4-4 at the break.

England struck first in the second half after Evan Stephenson sold a dummy and scored. Gannon converted.

Wales replied on 54 minutes after Scott Pritchard leaped onto a grubber kick to score under the posts. Walkely converted to level the scores up at 10-10.

But it was England who won though after skipper Ryan Wood showed his skill be running through the Welsh defence to score under the posts. Gannon easily converted.

Both sides could have scored again in the last few minutes but, as they had been pretty much throughout the encounter, defences ruled.

Wales and England Under 16s after their Test Match

Team Lists and Scoring Information

Wales RL U17 Tries Goals DGs Pts Cards

1 Billy Walkley 1 2
2 Cameron Davies
3 Harrison Garland-Griffiths
4 Harri Ackerman 1 4
5 Kane James
6 Harri Ford
7 Lewis Pinder (c)
8 Sam Godfrey
9 Finley Yates
10 Oscar Fisher
11 Scott Pritchard 1 4
12 Finn Thomas
13 Charlie Glover
Substitute
14 Lewis Ingram
15 Bradley Toy
16 Aneurin Jenkins
17 Jack Preddy
18 Michael Carter
19 Luke Minett
20 Mason Phillips
24 Gareth Parry

England Lions Tries Goals DGs Pts Cards

1 Ryan Wood (c) 1 4
2 Jay Richards 1 4
3 Lucas Smith
4 Will Swales
5 Sonny Easter
6 Evan Stephenson 1 4
7 Connor Gannon 2 4
8 Matt Parkes
9 Kieran Dean
10 Blane Graham
11 Kieran Welburn
12 Jack Ainley
13 Scott Parnaby
Substitute
14 Archie Halmshaw
15 Evan Foster
16 Callum Beety
17 Jake Smith
18 Josh Burr
19 Keelan Gregg
20 Dylan Turner

Time Score Player Team Action

12 4 – 0 Harri Ackerman Wales RL U17 Try
13 4 – 0 Billy Walkley Wales RL U17 Missed Conversion
25 4 – 4 Jay Richards England Lions Try
26 4 – 4 Connor Gannon England Lions Missed Conversion
42 4 – 8 Evan Stephenson England Lions Try
43 4 – 10 Connor Gannon England Lions Conversion
58 8 – 10 Scott Pritchard Wales RL U17 Try
59 10 – 10 Billy Walkley Wales RL U17 Conversion
70 10 – 14 Ryan Wood England Lions Try
72 10 – 16 Connor Gannon England Lions Conversion

Wales v England Under 16’s Match Report

Wales v England Under 17’s Match Report

The post England U17’s sneak home against Wales appeared first on OurFootyTeam.

Author : European Rugby League Federation

Match report

England Lions U16s won a hard-fought encounter with Wales 34-18 in Colwyn Bay on Sunday with the result in doubt right up until the last five minutes.

Wales, with a number of their players signing up for the official Wales Rugby League academy in Coleg y Cymoedd for September, gave a good account of themselves for much of the game, but in the end England’s experience took them over the line.

England took under a minute to take the lead after Wales made an error in the first set. Michael Sowden picked up the loose ball and Jayden Billy touched down from the resulting set. Oliver Whitford converted.

Wales hit back after seven minutes. Josh Hanson was the eventual scorer after two players were centimetres short in their attempts to get over the line. Isaac Morgan sliced the kick wide.

England regained the lead on 23 minutes when after a well-worked set, Billy notched his second, scoring near to the corner. Whitford missed the conversion attempt so England held just a converted-try lead.

But five minutes later, the visitor increased their advantage after Ellis Welburn completed a good passing move to ground. Whitford’s conversion attempt hit the post.

Wales were close to pulling a try back before the break but Morgan Farmer-Gratton and Isaac Morgan were both held up over the line, leaving the half-time score at 14-4 to England.

Wales were first over the line in the second half, attacking from the off, and were rewarded when Ben Morris twisted his way over the line. Isaac Morgan’s conversion attempt slipped under the bar.

England regained their ten point lead when Scott Egan scored in the corner five minutes later in another try that went unconverted.

Wales hit back again through the try of the game when Isaac Morgan broke free on the wing and sprinted 40 metres to ground under the sticks. He converted his own try to leave Wales just four points behind.

But England were next to score when Jack Edge dived over in the corner. Sonny Cooper converted well from the touchline to give England their ten-point lead back.

A well worked try for Wales was next, with Farmer-Gratton the scorer and Morgan unable to convert.

But England sealed the game three minutes from the end when Ryan Joseph picked up an Edge pass to score in the corner. Cooper converted well.

Egan put the icing on the cake with a try in the final move of the game.

Wales Under 16’s : 18

TRIES : Josh Hanson (6), Ben Morris (39), Isaac Morgan (50), Morgan Farmer-Gratton (59)
GOALS : Isaac Morgan (1/4)

England Under 16’s : 34

TRIES : Jayden Billy (1), Jayden Billy (22), Ellis Welburn (28), Scott Egan (45), Jack Edge (53), Ryan Joseph (66), Scott Egan (70)
England u16’s too good for the Welsh Oliver Whitford (1/4), Sonny Cooper (2/3)

TEAMS

Wales Under 16’s :

Isaac Morgan, Dylan Morgan, Ben Morris, Nicholas Evans, Peter Richmond, Llewellyn Hawkes, William McCarthy, Connor Lacey, Dafydd Morgan, Bradley Williams, Alex Banks, Carter Barnes, Josh Hanson. Subs: Tre Huddleston, Morgan Farmer-Gratton, John Baldwin, Calum Jones

England Under 16’s :

Oliver Whitford, Daniel Walsh, Ryan Joseph, Jayden Billy, Oscar Doran, Jack Edge, Logan Holgate, Michael Sowden, Sonny Cooper, Fynn Wright, Ellis Welburn, Ashton Sice, Kameron Siddique. Subs: Danny Frost, Ellis Nixon, Connor Phoenix, Scott Egan

Welsh under 16s line up for Test v England (Photo : Welsh RL)

Wales v England Under 16’s Match Report

Wales v England Under 17’s Match Report

England Rugby League

The post England u16’s too good for the Welsh appeared first on OurFootyTeam.