Cumbria’s three professional RL clubs all have players called up to the Wales national team for the first time.
They are among 14 uncapped players named in John Kear’s initial 30-man squad ahead of their test match against France later this month.
The game will take place in Albi on Sunday 19 June, with kick-off at 2.30pm (3.30pm local time).
The match will be Wales men’s first 13-a-side international since beating Ireland in November 2018 to qualify for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup.
The players have been invited to the Welsh training camp next week for a session on Tuesday and following that Kear – who has just left Bradford Bulls and taken over at Widnes Vikings – will name 21 for the game in France.
Tom Hopkins, the Barrow forward; Will Evans, Whitehaven’s Australian centre and Dave Weetman, Workington’s forward have all received their first call-ups.
In addition Curtis Davies and his twin Connor, who were signed recently by Workington after playing in France are named again. Both already have three caps for Wales.
Hopkins has spoken of his pleasure at being selected, telling the Barrow Raiders website: ““I’m doing my best to stay as grounded as possible. I’m trying not to focus on the test match at this stage. I’m fully focused on how I’m playing for Barrow and looking after any niggles so I have the best training session I can.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting the lads at camp, and hopefully the coaching staff see enough that they want me to play against France.
“I’d love to be part of the Wales World Cup squad at the end of the year, but I know there’s a lot that needs to go well in the meantime, so I’m just taking each day as it comes.”
Evans has Welsh grandparents and the Australian is also looking forward to the squad session, while Town’s Weetman will be in direct opposition to Hopkins in Sunday’s derby at Derwent Park.
Calvin Wellington, who spent time with Workington last season and is now with Oldham, is also included in the training squad for the first time.
The 30-man squad in full:
- Caleb Aekins* (Leigh Centurions)
- Bailey Antrobus* (York City Knights)
- Gavin Bennion (Rochdale Hornets)
- Joe Burke (West Wales Raiders)
- Chester Butler (Huddersfield Giants)
- Michael Butt (Swinton Lions)
- Curtis Davies (Workington Town)
- Connor Davies (Workington Town)
- Rhys Evans (Bradford Bulls)
- Ben Evans (Bradford Bulls)
- William Evans* (Whitehaven)
- Jude Ferreira* (London Broncos)
- Dan Fleming (Bradford Bulls)
- Matty Fozard (Widnes Vikings)
- Dalton Grant (London Broncos)
- Cobi Green* (Rochdale Hornets)
- Tom Hopkins* (Barrow Raiders)
- Kyle Huish* (Wigan Warriors)
- Lewis Hulme* (Widnes Vikings)
- Paddy Jones* (Swinton Lions)
- Elliott Kear (c) (Bradford Bulls)
- Kieran Lewis (Saint Gaudens XIII)
- Rhodri Lloyd (Swinton Lions)
- Lewis Pinder* (Wigan Warriors)
- Owen Restall* (Oldham Roughyeds)
- Luis Roberts* (Leigh Centurions)
- Anthony Walker (Bradford Bulls)
- David Weetman* (Workington Town)
- Calvin Wellington* (Oldham Roughyeds)
- Rhys Williams (Salford Red Devils)
*uncapped
