2025 Southern Regional Men’s Playing Squads Confirmed

Talented community players from across the South and Midlands will represent their regions this weekend at the Rugby Football League’s annual Southern Regional Men’s Carnival this Sunday, with selection for the Combined Southern Region representative squad at stake.

Teams representing the Midlands, East and London will battle it out at Old Brentwood RFC in Essex, home of Brentwood Elvers Rugby League Club, on Sunday 28th September – not only for the title of regional champions, but also the chance to represent the Southern region in games against Australia & New Zealand Exiles (October 5th, 2pm, Wasps RFC) and Wales Dragonhearts (October 11th, 2.30pm, Neath RFC). 

The Combined Southern Region representative side is part of an expanded community pathway, which ultimately offers talented players outside of the North of England the opportunity to stake a claim for a place in the England Community Lions squad – and with it the chance to represent their nation.

Each of the three regions has now announced their playing squad for this year’s edition of the popular annual event, which sees sides made up of community players involved in regional summer leagues compete in shortened matches across an entertaining afternoon of Rugby League. Following the culmination of the event on Sunday afternoon, players will quickly be told which of them has made the Combined Southern Region squad – allowing them to start preparing for the games to come.

This year’s squads contain players from no less than 17 different clubs, from Telford in the far West Midlands and Canvey Island in the East, to Brixton and West London – and countless other towns and cities in between.

Chris Chatten, England Community Lions Southern Representative, said: “It is pleasing to see 17 clubs represented across the South from the playing selections, 19 clubs including management staff across the regional programme. The excitement will now be building into Sunday’s carnival where players will be aiming to put their best performance in front of the selectors for the Southern programme.

"It is also a fantastic achievement for players to represent themselves and their clubs at a regional level. The carnival provides an opportunity to celebrate representative Rugby League across the South of England.”

Stephen Guan, Southern Regional Development Manager at the Rugby Football League, said: ‘’I’m very much looking forward to Sunday’s carnival. I know the regional management groups along with their players have been working hard through September with a good showing in the carnival and players pushing for selection into the southern squad as the main goals.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to recognise those players who have shown an elevated level of ability and commitment to the sport during the 2025 season."

Men’s Southern Regional Carnival 2025 – Personnel Lists

Midlands

Players: Olly Pope, Uluaki Kale, Dan Robinson (Vice-Captain), Charlie Gamble, Liam Fussell (all Telford Raiders); Matt Cahill, Dillon Goddard, James Jenner, Joe Bunting, Max Hayes, Luke Fisher, Archie Wilson (Sherwood Wolfhunt); Oz Kirwen (Coventry Bears); Coryn Ward (Captain), Jack Johnson (Nottingham Outlaws); Josh Ewhubare, Sosa Migan (Birmingham Bulldogs); Jack Hodson (Staffordshire Quantums); Kyle Jones (Leamington Royals)

Staff: Jamie Jones (Head Coach – Midlands Hurricanes), Mark Cleaver (General Manager), Hoe Furlong (Assistant Coach – Telford Raiders), Martin Foskett (Team Manager –Telford Raiders)

East of England

Players: Callum Whitcombe, Ryan Whitcombe, Euan Tiernan, Matthew Tootill, George Treffers, Connor Perry (Brentwood Eels); Callum Dockerill (Captain), Will Evans (North Herts Crusaders); Charlie Randall, Will Randall, Greg Short, Rob Williams, Harry Dines, David Bofenda (Eastern Rhinos); Kye Jacobson, Jack Brown, Ed Brown, Jake Tilford (Bedford Tigers); Alfie Justice, Tommy Justice (Canvey Knights)

Staff: Jamie Impey (Head Coach – Brentwood Eels), Josh Spearing, Santino Decaro (Assistant Coaches – Bedford Tigers), Trevor McLachlan (Assistant Coach – Bedford Tigers), Shona Green (Therapist – Hammersmith Hill Hoists)

London

Players: Louis Baker, Adam Dady, Nick Harding, George Moore, Mason O’Neill, Alex Russell (Medway Dragons);  Ben McGuiness, Ugo Onyeji (Brixton Bulls); Tyler Johnson, George Jackson (West Warriors); Dom Aston, Alex Baptiste-Wilson, Oli Baptiste-Wilson, Jake Cummins, Luke Drummond, Joe Hales (Elmbridge Eagles); Jack Harbridge, Tyler Long (Hemel Stags); Caleb Adetona, Doug Chirnside, Shay Flanagan (London Chargers)

Staff: Kevin Rudd (Coach – Elmbridge Eagles), Mike Hart (Team Manager – Hemel Stags), Mason Hart (Assistant Team Manager/Trainer – Hemel Stags), Lewis Hollidge (Assistant Team Manager/Trainer – Medway Dragons), Lucy Howard (Medical Support – Elmbridge Eagles)

Combined Southern Region Representative Squad – Key Staff 

Steve Guan (RFL Southern Regional Development Manager), Chris Chatten (England Community Lions Southern Representative/General Manager), Jamie Jones (Head Coach – Midlands/Midlands Hurricane), Kevin Rudd (Team Manager  –London/Elmbridge Eagles), Jamie Impey (Assistant Coach – East/Brentwood Eels), Glenn Tyreman (Assistant Coach – Solent Spitfires), Shona Green (Therapist  –º East/Hammersmith Hill Hoists), Matt Anniss (Media Manager – Unattached), Brad Hirons (Social Media Manager –Bedford Tigers)