BATEMAN NAMED IN ACADEMY ORIGIN SQUAD

Academy starlet Jacob Bateman has been named in Yorkshire's Academy Squad for the first of their three game Origin series against Lancashire!

The young back rower, who came through the ranks at Birkenshaw Blue Dogs, has started the season in impressive fashion for our Under-18s and scored in the most recent outing, a 78-16 win over Newcastle Thunder!

The first of the three match series takes place at Castleford’s Mend-A-Hose Stadium on Friday 28 April (KO 7pm).

Yorkshire squad

Kye Armstrong (Hull FC), Jacob Bateman (Bradford Bulls), Jack Billington (Huddersfield Giants), Noah Booth (Warrington Wolves), Jack Charles (Hull FC), Lennie Ellis (Hull KR), Lucas Green (Warrington Wolves), Matt Hanley (Huddersfield Giants), Bobby Hartley (Leeds Rhinos), Jeylan Hodgson (Hull FC), Jack Hudson (Huddersfield Giants), Will Hutchinson (Hull FC), Maddox Jeffrey (Wigan Warriors), Ben Littlewood (Leeds Rhinos), Sullivan Medforth (Hull FC), Max Merta (Huddersfield Giants), Oliver Pratt (Wakefield Trinity), Joe Ritho (Huddersfield Giants), Cai Taylor Wray (Warrington Wolves), Cobie Wainhouse (Hull FC), Ethan Wood (Wakefield Trinity)

Paul Anderson, Head of England Pathways, says: “Everybody involved in Academy Rugby League – players, coaches, clubs – is really excited about this year’s Origin series. For heads of youth at individual clubs, the focus is very much on developing talent. Academy Origin takes those players to the next level, where the emphasis is on performance. This is where we identify and develop the players who have the potential to become elite performers on the domestic and international stage.

“This year we play France in the first England Academy international since 2019 and then we’re building towards Rugby League’s Youth World Cup in 2025. There’s everything for these lads to play for. I’ve worked closely with clubs to identify the 42 players chosen this time around and they will all received one-to-one feedback on their performance. Last year we eventually used close on 70 players over the three matches, so squads will evolve as the season unfolds.”