Wales u16 prepare for Ireland test this Friday by going to Wigan

Wales take on Ireland in an under 16 Rugby League international this Friday at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cyncoed.

Admission price is £3 adults and £1 children, 6pm kick off on the first team pitch behind tennis centre.

The Welsh will select from a 21-man squad selected from schools and clubs from all around Wales and the borders.

The Wales under 16s squad prepared for this match late last month by spending a weekend at Super League side Wigan Warriors.

Headed by Wigan staff including under 19s head coach, Darrel Goulding and head of youth performance, Matty Peet, the were taken around the first team training areas including the gym and introduced to the ‘Wigan Way’.

The squad trained alongside Chorley Panthers RLFC, watched the Super League clash between Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos and met the players after the game in the hospitality lounge.

On day two, the Wales squad trained alongside the Wigan Warriors under 16 academy. This opportunity afforded the players to pit themselves against some of the best under 16 year olds in the country whilst improving their own skill set. The session culminated in a short contact period that saw Wales and Wigan put into action what they had learned in the session. The lads then watched the academy game between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves under 19s.

Wales team manager Ryan Wilson said: “The pitch conditions were fantastic and Wigan Warriors were very welcoming to players, staff and parents. The session was a good start to the weekend’s rugby league.

“The Wigan players took a great interest in the boys making them feel welcome and congratulating the boys for getting into the squad.

“Overall this was a very successful first trip for the Wales boys. We would all like to thank everyone at Wigan Warriors who made the players feel very welcome and for providing Wales Rugby League with everything we needed over the weekend. It is great to develop a link between the highest level of rugby league in the UK and youth international rugby league.

“It was great preparation for our test match against Ireland at Cyncoed this Friday.”

WALES (from): Harvey McDaid (St Peter and Paul Catholic School, Widnes / Halton Farnworth Hornets & St Helens RLC), Will Clapham (Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llanhari / South Wales Rabbitohs), Billy Glover (Wade Deacon High School, Widnes / Halton Farnworth Hornets & Widnes Vikings), Lewis Hall (Great Sankey High School, Warrington / Crosfields ARLFC & Warrington Wolves), Joel Davies (Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd / West Wales Raiders), Iestyn Hopkins (Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera / West Wales Raiders), Kyle Huish (Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni / Aber Valley Wolves), Ewan Badham (Milford Haven Comprehensive School / West Wales Raiders), Keenan McDaid (St Peter and Paul Catholic School, Widnes / Halton Farnworth Hornets & St Helens RLC), Ieuan Badham (Milford Haven Comprehensive School / West Wales Raiders), Jake Cannon (Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive School / South Wales Rabbitohs), Ben Snadden (Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera / West Wales Raiders), Jacob Lee (Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni / Aber Valley Wolves), Teifion Thomas (Tonypandy Community College / Rhondda Outlaws), Cameron Samuel (St John’s Baptist High School, St Johns’s School, Aberdare), Finn Swift (Range High School, Formby / Blackbrook Royals), Morgan Johns (Y Pant Comprehensive School / South Wales Rabbitohs), Shaun Webber (Afon Taf High School / Aber Valley Wolves), Will Smith (Gateacre School / Halton Farnworth Hornets & St Helens), Ewan Challenger (Lewis School, Pengam / Aber Valley Wolves), Will Lynch (Ysgol Friers, Bangor / Leigh Miners Rangers)

IRELAND (from): Sam Cullen, James Mulvany, Josh McNamee, Shalun Carey, Daniel Montayne, Eoin Creaby, Michael Morgan, Kevin Varga, Sean O’Sullivan, Nathan Kiernan, Harry O’Reilly, Ethan Morgan Williams, Ethan Voss, Ronan Michael, Eoin Mahon, Aaron Kelly, Ethan Ryan, Cormac Murphy, Josh Thewlis, Calum O’Neill.