Seven of our St.Helens Academy players have been selected to play in his weekend's Academy Origin series!
Lancashire and Yorkshire face off in Castleford at The Jungle on Saturday, 10th May with kick-off scheduled for 12pm.
Our club is one of the strongest represented, with six players chosen for the Lancashire side, and one in the Yorkshire team too.
Our Saints representing Lancashire are; Matthew Evans, Oliver Garmston, Tom Humphreys, Billy Keeley, Kian McGann and Alife Tate.
The sole Saint representing Yorkshire is forward Chris Matagi.
Wigan’s Shane Eccles will be head coach of Lancashire with assistants Ryan O’Brien of Warrington and James Simpson MBE – a member of England’s Wheelchair World Cup winning squad in 2022 who has been head coach of Leeds Rhinos Wheelchair team for the last two seasons since retiring as a player, and who will break yet more new ground with this appointment.
Castleford’s Rob Nickolay will be head coach of Yorkshire with Huddersfield Giants stalwart Leroy Cudjoe again assisting alongside Matt Nicholson of Wakefield.
Each squad will also have a distinguished former player in a new role as mentor – Luke Gale for Yorkshire, and Gary Wheeler for Lancashire.
Paul Anderson Head of England pathways (Male), said: “Both groups of players and staff have adapted really well to the challenges that we’ve put in place; the detail that has been delivered has been unbelievable, and this has also been supported by the staff from the Rugby Football League and Leeds Beckett University.
“Credit as always has to go to the clubs who continually produce the future stars of our game.”
There are two Origin fixtures this season, with the second to be played at Hull KR’s Sewell Group Craven Park on Saturday, 2nd August 2025.
There will be live coverage of the first Academy Origin fixture on the England Rugby League YouTube channel on Saturday, May 10 – kick-off 12 noon.
Yorkshire:
Alfie Lindsay, Alfie Salmon (both Castleford), Archie Sykes (Huddersfield Giants), Callum Kemp (Hull FC), Chris Matagi (St Helens), Daniel Stelfox (Leeds Rhinos), Ellis Lingard (Wakefield Trinity), George Brown, Harley Thomas, Harry Smith, Jacob Hardy, Jacob Stead, Joe Diskin, Joe Butterfield (all Leeds Rhinos), Lloyd Kemp (Hull FC), Marcus Qareqare, Presley Cassell, Zak Lloyd (all Leeds)
Lancashire:
Alfie Tate (St Helens), Austin Daniel (Wigan Warriors), Billy Keeley (St Helens), Cameron Bate (Bradford Bulls), Charlie Walker, Daniel Coop, Daniel Reagan, Ewan Irwin (all Warrington Wolves), Finlay Yeomans (Wigan Warriors), Flynn Holden, Jake Ramsden (both Warrington), Kian McGann (St Helens), Kian Stanton, Lachlan Webster (both Warrington), Matt Evans, Oliver Garmston (both St Helens), Shea O’Connor (Wigan Warriors), Thomas Humphries (St Helens)
