THREE local lads have been named for a big England Lions under-19s trial event in St Helens tomorrow (Sunday, February 6). It will be shown live on Our League, starting at 12.30pm.
Dylan Turner (Oldham St Anne’s) and Waterhead duo Scott Parnaby and Callum Murphy are among 60 of the best under-19s in the community game to be selected for the England trial at Ruskin Drive, St Helens.
The 60 young hopefuls comprise 27 from Yorkshire, 12 from Cumbria and 21 from Lancashire.
England under-19s boss Allan Coleman will ultimately select a squad for the 2022 European Championships, due to be played in Italy later in the year.
He said:
“I’m very impressed by the quality we have within this group.
“That is testimony to the guys who coach these players at club level week in and week out and produce real talent.
“We get to coach the elite, but it’s the community guys who do all the hard work and credit should go to them.”
Turner, a big prop, and Parnaby, a 6ft3” loose-forward, have already represented England (against Wales in Colwyn Bay) at under-17s level.
They’ve been mates since primary school days at Hodge Clough, Moorside. They first started playing together for St Anne’s under-7s, but Parnaby later moved to Saddleworth and then to Waterhead.
Waterhead’s Callum Murphy, who’s also named in tomorrow’s trial, was one of three players to be nominated by the Peach Road club (two successful), while St Anne’s nominated four (one successful).
Saddleworth, who didn’t nominate, said two would have been put forward, but they were a few days outside the age-group deadline.
West Hull (5) boast most England Lions under-19s trialists with Leigh Miners (4), followed by Wigan St Jude’s (3), Newton Storm (3) and Shaw Cross Sharks (3).
Good luck to the Oldham lads, Dylan, Scott and Callum, from all at Oldham RLFC.
