Wigan represented in Origin squads
Seven Wigan Warriors Academy players have been named across Lancashire’s and Yorkshire’s 20-player squads ahead of Wednesday’s Origin Academy game at Weetwood Hall in Leeds.
Logan Astley, Zach Eckersley, Tom Forber, Harvey Makin, Junior Nsemba and Alex Sutton have all been selected for Lancashire, while Matty Nicholson will play for Yorkshire.
The behind-closed-doors fixture will be streamed live on Our League from 11am and will feature many of the game’s future stars.
Academy Origin is part of the talent pathway between Club Academy competition and full England Academy selection. In recent times Academy Origin players have made rapid strides in the senior game, such as Wigan’s Umyla Hanley, who scored a hat-trick for the Warriors in the Betfred Super League against Leigh on Sunday.
The Academy Origin sides will be coached by Warriors Under-19s head coach Shane Eccles (Lancashire) and Danny Wilson (Yorkshire).
Eccles said: “The players have prepared well and are raring to go. Like Danny I’m grateful to their clubs for working with us to get this game on. They’ll do their clubs proud and hopefully we’ll get the win.”
Wilson added: “These players missed out on a season’s worth of development during the pandemic, so this game is an important step in making up for lost time. I’m really excited about their potential and how far some of them might progress in Rugby League.”
Lancashire squad:
Jake Anderson (Newcastle Thunder), Cole Appleby (St Helens), Logan Astley (Wigan Warriors), Luke Broadbent, Jack Darbyshire (both Warrington Wolves), George Delaney (St Helens), Zach Eckersley, Tom Forber (both Wigan Warriors), Daniel Ganson (St Helens), Leon Hayes (Warrington Wolves), Sam Haynes (St Helens), Tom Horton-Burnett (Warrington Wolves), Ben Lane (St Helens), Harvey Makin, Junior Nsemba (both Wigan Warriors), Taylor Pemberton (St Helens), Fenton Rogers (Huddersfield Giants), Alex Sutton (Wigan Warriors), Luke Thomas (Warrington Wolves), Tom Whitehead (Warrington Wolves).
Yorkshire squad:
Denive Balmforth (Warrington Wolves), Lewis Camden (Bradford Bulls), Alfie Edgell, Levi Edwards, Oliver Field, Will Gatus (all Leeds Rhinos), Alex Gibson (Hull FC), Joe Hird (Leeds Rhinos), Jacob Hookem, Davy Litten (both Hull FC), Connor Moore (Hull Kingston Rovers), Matty Nicholson (Wigan Warriors), Tom Nicholson-Watton (Leeds Rhinos), Pat O’Donovan (Wakefield Trinity), Euan Parke (London Broncos), Jason Qareqare (Castleford Tigers), Kieran Rush (Huddersfield Giants), Isaac Shaw (Wakefield Trinity), Max Simpson (Leeds Rhinos), Nick Staveley (Hull FC).
Weetwood Covid-19 protocols mean that no spectators will be allowed to attend.
