Betts delighted as trio selected into U18s squad
WIDNES head coach Denis Betts has expressed his delight after three Vikings youngsters were named in the England U18s National Performance Squad.
Danny Walker, Liam Walsh and Owen Farnworth have all been selected with only Wigan Warriors having more players in the squad with four.
Betts said: “Those lads being part of that group shows how far we’ve come from almost having the Academy disbanded four or five years ago.
“We’re now producing international Academy players – it’s a real pat on the back for us.
“What we’re looking at is building something long-term and to do that you need an Academy with the ability to produce quality players.
“Those lads are training with us now and they could be the backbone of this side for another ten years. We’ve just got to make sure we nurture them properly.
“There are some good lads coming behind them too.
“Our Academy structure is really important to us as an organisation. I know everybody wants something now, but we also have to take a look a few years down the line.
“It’s taken us four years to get the Chapelhows into that position to be ready to play Super League.
“In another couple of years you’ll see the likes of Brad Walker, Danny Walker, Liam Walsh and Owen Farnworth competing for a spot.”
Former Warrington skipper Lee Briers is set to take over from Andy Kelly as head coach of the England Academy side.
Briers will combine the role with his current position of assis- tant-coach at the Wolves.
The appointment of Briers follows a review of the international player pathway with England Rugby League’s Performance Department launching a new National Performance Programme. Feeling there was a need to upgrade and improve the current international programme below the Elite Squad level, the new pathway will have more of a focus on talent identification, player skill development, physical competences and the creation of a performance coaching environment.
A National Performance Training Squad Programme will also be established for the U16 and U18 elite player groups replacing the current England Youth and Academy programmes.
National Performance Training Squads (U16, U18 & Women) will operate through national training centres.
Up to 40 players can be selected to each group throughout the annual programme from the Community game and Academy structures by national staff.
International competitions will still continue to be played at U16, U18 and Women’s level.
This year, the U16 international programme will remain during the Easter period but from 2018 will be moved and commence once the Super League Scholarship programme is complete ( July). U18s will now start after the Super League Academy season is complete in October.
England Women will compete this year in the Rugby League World Cup in Australia.
The National Performance Programme will run on an annual basis from February to October. ● National Performance Programme U18 Squad: ●
Alex Tankard (Warrington Wolves); Bobby Downs (City of Hull Academy); Brad Pinder (St Helens); Caine Barnes (Wigan Warriors); Callum McLelland (Castleford Tigers); Calum Turner (Castleford Tigers); Cameron Scott (Bradford Bulls); Cameron Smith (Leeds Rhinos); Danny Walker (Widnes Vikings; Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors); Jack Brown (City of Hull Academy); Jake Wardle (Huddersfield Giants); James Worthington (Wigan Warriors); Joe Brown (Bradford Bulls); Joe Shorrocks (Wigan Warriors); Jon Luke Kirby (Huddersfield Giants); Jordan Olmez (St Helens); Kevin Brown (St Helens); Liam Walsh (Widnes Vikings); Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos); Owen Farnworth (Widnes Vikings); Samual Kibula (Wigan Warriors); Will Dagger (Warrington Wolves); Will Oakes (City of Hull Academy).