Bangor University Student Selected For Wales Rugby League Squad

Wales Rugby League have confirmed their 20-man students’ squad in preparation for the forthcoming Four Nations tournament. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chris Jones, 21, from Holywell, a final year product design student at Bangor University is one of the 20 students selected from a total of 13 education establishments from all over the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The tournament starts on June 12th in Edinburgh when Wales will take on England, Scotland and Ireland all in the space of a week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chris has been playing rugby for many years and has played for multiple teams, most recently the Chester Gladiators. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chris said: “I feel overwhelmed to be selected, it’s not often that you get the call to play a sport for your country; and it will undoubtedly be an unforgettable experience. I feel proud to have been asked to go out and represent Wales; and it is certainly something to be proud of as only a select few are asked to play. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The experience will, hopefully, improve my rugby league skills further; the standard at the tournament will be extremely high and the competition will be fierce, I hope to play as well as I possibly can. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Following the tournament, and any further games, I hope to return to Chester Gladiators with a solidified sense for the game.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Head coach, Latham Tawhai, said: “The selection of this group of players comes after our training weekend held at Caerphilly RFC where the players were put through a couple of days of intense training to prepare them for the rigours of the tournament where they will play three games in the space of six days. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Whilst some of the more senior players are unavailable for selection this year due to other commitments, we’re excited to unveil some of the up and coming talent in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There is no doubt we will have one of the youngest Student sides we’ve ever taken to the tournament, but given we are a year out from a World Cup we felt it was important to blood some of the younger players who have a great chance of making it on to the plane next year. They’ll learn a lot from being part of this tournament which hopefully puts them in good stead come 2017.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

13th-18th June – Student 4 Nations, The University of Edinburgh, Peffermill Playing Fields ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

13th June – Ireland v England 15:30, Scotland v Wales 18:00 ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

15th June – Wales v Ireland 15:30, Scotland v England 18:00 ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

18th June – Scotland v Ireland 12:00, England v Wales 14:30 ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​