Paul Anderson, Head of England Pathways, has chosen the Lancashire and Yorkshire teams for the second of this year's three-match Academy Origin series, at Salford's AJ Bell Stadium tomorrow (Sunday 26 June, 5.15pm).
Lancashire make four changes to the side that defeated Yorkshire 56-34 at Widnes last month. In come St Helens stand-off Ellis Archer to partner Warrington Wolves’ Leon Hayes in the halves, Wolves’ Jamie Reddecliff and Zach Eckersley of Wigan Warriors.
Leeds Rhinos duo Alfie Edgell and Riley Lumb are two of eight new faces in the Yorkshire side, alongside Bradford Bulls pair Bailey Arnold and Myles Lawford, Charlie Severs and Nick Staveley of Hull FC, Toby Warren of York City Knights and Wigan Warriors’ Ellis Hobson.
Lancashire are coached by Shane Eccles, a long-serving member of the Wigan Warriors scholarship and academy systems, with the Leeds Rhinos Academy coach and former England and Great Britain player Chev Walker holding the reigns for Yorkshire.
Academy Origin has this year returned to its three-match format this summer following the enforced cancellation of the entire 2020 programme and a Covid-curtailed 2021. Academy Origin II follows Salford Red Devils home match against Wakefield Trinity, which kicks off at 3pm. The third and final encounter takes place at Wakefield on Sunday 24 July.
Lancashire Academy Origin team
- Ben Lane (St Helens)
- Jacob Douglas (Wigan Warriors
- Zach Eckersley (Wigan Warriors)
- Sam Haynes (St Helens)
- Jake Thewlis (Warrington Wolves)
- Ellis Archer (St Helens)
- Leon Hayes (Warrington Wolves)
- Harvie Hill (Wigan Warriors)
- Aiden Doolan (Warrington Wolves)
- George Delaney (St Helens)
- Nolan Tupea (Warrington Wolves)
- Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors)
- Kalan Devine (St Helens)
- Ben Hartill (Wigan Warriors)
- McKenzie Buckley (St Helens)
- Jamie Reddecliff (Warrington Wolves)
- Max Wood (Wigan Warriors)
Yorkshire Academy Origin team
- George Flanagan Jnr (Bradford Bulls)
- Riley Lumb (Leeds Rhinos)
- Connor Barley (Hull Kingston Rovers)
- Manoa Wacokecoke (Hull FC)
- Lewis Martin (Hull FC)
- Sullivan Medford (Hull FC)
- Myles Lawford (Bradford Bulls)
- Matt Laidlaw (Hull FC)
- Denive Balmforth (Hull FC)
- Nick Staveley (Hull FC)
- Charlie Severs (Hull FC)
- Adam Holroyd (Warrington Wolves)
- Bailey Arnold (Bradford Bulls)
- Alfie Edgell (Leeds Rhinos)
- Toby Warren (York City Knights)
- Lucas Green (Warrington Wolves)
- Ellis Hobson (Wigan Warriors)
England RL Academy is part of the RFL's talent pathway, which also includes England Knights and the senior men’s squad. Several members of Shaun Wane’s England squad are graduates of this pathway, including Matty Lees and Jack Welsby of St Helens who made their international debuts last Saturday against the Combined Nations All Stars.
