The final teams have been announced for this weekend’s Academy Origin series, with Lancashire and Yorkshire set to face off in Castleford this Saturday (May 10, KO 12pm).
Leeds Rhinos, St Helens and Warrington Wolves have the strongest representation, with the Rhinos having 11 players in the 18-strong Yorkshire squad, including Joe Diskin, a hooker who is following in the footsteps of his father Matt, and Marcus Qareqare, the younger brother of the Castleford wing Jason.
Warrington have eight players in the Lancashire 18, while Saints have seven - including Chris Matagi, the son of the Doncaster forward who started his Rugby League journey with Siddal and is in the Yorkshire squad.
Hull FC have two players in the Yorkshire squad, Lloyd and Callum Kemp, the twins who have both made senior debuts for the black and whites.
Archie Sykes is included after making his Super League debut for Huddersfield Giants earlier this season, with Alfie Lindsay and Alfie Salmon from Castleford Tigers also selected.
In addition to the 15 from Warrington and St Helens, Lancashire have selected Austin Daniel, Shea O’Connor and half-back Finlay Yeomans from Wigan Warriors alongside Cameron Bate from Bradford Bulls – who is from Widnes.
Wigan’s Shane Eccles will be head coach of Lancashire with assistants Ryan O’Brien of Warrington and James Simpson MBE – a member of England’s Wheelchair World Cup winning squad in 2022 who has been head coach of Leeds Rhinos Wheelchair team for the last two seasons since retiring as a player, and who will break yet more new ground with this appointment.
Castleford’s Rob Nickolay will be head coach of Yorkshire with Huddersfield Giants stalwart Leroy Cudjoe again assisting alongside Matt Nicholson of Wakefield.
Each squad will also have a distinguished former player in a new role as mentor – Luke Gale for Yorkshire, and Gary Wheeler for Lancashire.
Paul Anderson Head of England pathways (Male), says:
“Both groups of players and staff have adapted really well to the challenges that we’ve put in place; the detail that has been delivered has been unbelievable, and this has also been supported by the staff from the Rugby Football League and Leeds Beckett University.
“Credit as always has to go to the clubs who continually produce the future stars of our game.”
There are two Origin fixtures this season, with the second to be played at Hull KR’s Sewell Group Craven Park on August 2.
There will be live coverage of the first Academy Origin fixture on the England Rugby League YouTube channel on Saturday, May 10 – kick-off 12 noon.
