Nine Wigan Academy stars named in Wales Under-16s squad

Drew Darbyshire

Nine Wigan Academy players have been included in Wales’ Under-16s training squad ahead of their clash with England in September.

Jack Lloyd, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, David Yulu-Nzamba, Ewan Challenger, Kyle Huish, Jacob Lee, Joshua Atkinson, Iwan Johnes and Iwan Pyrs-Jones, who are in the Warriors’ academy, have been selected to represent Wales against the old enemy.

Wales have also named Peter Eccles as their assistant coach to Jason Seddon, who is also currently the head coach of Wigan St Judes Under-18s and Lancashire Under-17s.

Eccles said: “I was really proud and taken aback by being asked to join the Wales Under-16s coaching staff.

“I have been involved coaching youth rugby at Under-18s level at Wigan St Judes for nearly nine years and I took the step up to county representative level four years ago as part of the BARLA Lancashire Under-17s coaching staff which again was a massive honour.

“After taking the phone call from Jason and proudly accepting this offer to join the Wales staff, I have been massively impressed at the professionalism of the whole Wales set up so far. The trial matches that took place before naming this final squad really opened my eyes to the high level of talent that there is in Wales at this age group, which gave us plenty headaches in the final selection.

“I’m really looking forward to start coaching these young lads along with the rest of the coaching staff who have all helped me settle in really well this last month or so and I cannot wait to get started.”

Wales 29-man squad (community club, academy club):

Benjamin Harris (Aber Valley Wolves)

Shaun Webber (Cardiff Blue Dragons)

Jac Lloyd (Wigan Warriors)

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Wigan Warriors)

David Yulu-Nzamba (Wigan Warriors)

George Sheppard (West Wales Raiders)

Cian Rhys (Burtonwood Bulldogs, Salford Red Devils)

Brynmor Bradley (London Broncos)

Ewan Challenger (Cardiff Blue Dragons, Wigan Warriors)

Ewan Badham (Llanelli Knights, City of Hull)

Ieaun Badham (Llanelli Knights, City of Hull)

Morgan Jones

Harvey McDaid (Halton Farnworth Hornets, St Helens)

Keenan McDaid (Halton Farnworth Hornets, St Helens)

Lewis Gough

Cameron Samuel

Callum Penn (Torfaen Tigers)

William Oates (Aber Valley Wolves)

Luis Roberts (Hindley, Salford Red Devils)

Reilly Scriven (Torfaen Tigers)

Kyle Huish (Aber Valley Wolves, Wigan Warriors)

Jacob Lee (Aber Valley Wolves, Wigan Warriors)

Ieuan Hancock (Torfaen Tigers)

Joshua Atkinson (Wigan Warriors)

Gwilym Evans

Iwan Johnes (Wigan Warriors)

Iwan Pyrs-Jones (Wigan Warriors)

Trystan Rawlings (West Wales Raiders)

Kieran Lewis