Two pupils from Caerphilly County Borough have been selected for the Wales Rugby League under-16 squad, with a further two talented youngsters invited to train with the side.
Jacob Lee and Josh Ponchaud, both of Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, play for Aber Valley Wolves and received call-ups for the under-16 side’s three international matches later this summer.
Wales will host Ireland on Friday August 4, before heading to Dublin on Saturday August 26. They then host England on September 2, with a warm-up match scheduled against Wigan Warriors later this month.
The 25-man squad began training at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach in early July, and national development manager, Idris Evans, is happy with what he has seen so far.
He said: “We saw an outstanding number of players this year trial for the under-16s and choosing only 25 was an onerous task for the coaching staff.
“There is a wealth of talented players qualified to play for Wales this year and we are very lucky to have such a good bunch to pick from.”
Two talented Aber Valley Wolves under-14s players also caught the eye during the trials.
Ewan Challenger, of Lewis School Pengam, and Kyle Huish, of Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, have been asked to train with the under-16 squad for the summer, with one eye on their future development.