The England Universities Rugby League squad has been selected for 2026.
The team will meet for its first training session on Saturday 7th March at the SCS Stadium in Sheffield which will involve a team meeting and an on field session followed by a team meal and a teambuilding activity.
Just under half of the players selected have earned repeat call ups with Ben Bell-Thorn, Ben Grindley Roberts, Deusjes Nzage, Harry Lowery, Jake Dickinson, James Leach, Jamie O’Keeffe, Leon Stewart, Oli Winterbottom and Will Lintin all having played in 2025, whilst Fin Hay and Noah Tyson return having played for England in the 2024 season.
11 Universities are represented, once again demonstrating the national reach of the student game with an even split of northern and southern universities represented.
In a change to previous years, the 25 players have been selected who will be involved for the whole programme, with no reduction of players for the Four Nations campaign which will be played over multiple weekends rather than a concentrated week of activity.
In addition to the games against Ireland, Scotland and Wales the England side will also defend their RFL President’s Cup title against GB Teachers and UK Armed Forces Rugby League. A full fixture list will be confirmed in due course.
The coaching and management team has also undergone several changes in the off season, with Adam Houston having stood down from the head coach role to take over reins of Scotland’s senior men’s side and sports therapist Lucy McIntosh also having stepping back to focus on business commitments.
Mark Sloan is promoted to head coach having held the assistant coach role for two years and has engaged Jay Woodley and Ethan Yates as assistants, with both having experience in the student game and having lead the coaching teams for the Origin series earlier in the year, continuing the England programme’s tradition of promoting from within. Chloe Willey will join as sports therapist and Henry Crowther will join as assistant team manager after several years supporting teams at Regional and Origin level. James Strudwick will continue as strength and conditioning coach, but on a remote basis to provide advice and support to players and the coaching staff alike and David Butler continues as team manager for his 12th season with the squad.
England Universities 2026 Squad:
Alex Edun (Loughborough)
Ben Bell-Thorn (Nottingham)
Ben Grindley-Roberts (Leeds Beckett)
Brogan Turner (Edge Hill)
Deusjes Nzage (Hull)
Fin Hay (Loughborough)
Finn Dagnall (Loughborough)
George Moffitt (Liverpool John Moores)
Harrison Adams (Liverpool)
Harry Lowery (Northumbria)
Hayden Todd (York St John)
Henry Lenthall (Loughborough)
Jake Dickinson (Northumbria)
James Boyles (Gloucestershire)
James Leach (Northumbria)
Jamie O'Keeffe (Loughborough)
Joshua Shackleton (Newcastle)
Leon Stewart (Hull)
Max Nissinen-Le (Loughborough)
Noah Tyson (Loughborough)
Oli Winterbottom (Gloucestershire)
Ollie Paterson (Nottingham)
Ryan Moses (Hull)
Tega Rume-Tabiowo (Gloucestershire)
Will Lintin (Northumbria)
