By Helen Thompson

Published at 16:12, Wednesday, 22 October 2008

FOUR up and coming Copeland rugby league stars have been selected to represent their country.

selected: Scott George

Wath Brow duo Glenn Riley and Karl Olstrum, will combine with Distington’s Scott George and Millom’s Elliott Miller in the GB Community Lions Under-18 side, that was announced yesterday.

A fifth West Cumbrian has also been named in the squad, with Seaton’s Callum Philips impressing selectors playing for the north at a recent national camp.

“The lads that have been picked stood up on the day and they are worthy of their places and others could not have been far away,” said north coach Gary Hewer.

“I am delighted for them and know they have to get into the starting line-up.”

The teenagers had all put themselves in the shop window for selection at the weekend when they were part of the north side that competed in the Gillette Under-18 National Carnival at Hopwood Hall.

And they pulled off some great results, including a two tries to nil victory over the north west, which takes in Lancashire towns like Wigan, St Helens, Warrington, Salford and Leigh, which are all hot beds of rugby league talent.

The north, coached by Hewer, with Chris Wright as his assistant, also defeated London and the South by seven tries to one in a great display.

Now their efforts have been rewarded with five members selected for the GB side which is managed by Whitehaven’s Joe Elliott.

GB have some exciting fixtures lined up, as they face France home and away, then the Australian Institute of Sport, before a tour of Australia is scheduled for next summer.

RL development officer for Cumbria, Alan Davidson, said: “ The standard of the competition was excellent and all the local lads stood up to be counted.

“The majority of the side were from West Cumbria which bodes well, not just for the side in the National Youth League but also for the Under-18 League formed for the county.

“They did very well to beat the North West, that was a big result, it hasn’t been done for a while at that age group.”

Hewer added: “I was privileged to coach such a talented bunch of individuals, we only had two training sessions to pull together and the lads responded well.”

North squad: Nicky Cook, Scott George. Glenn Riley, Jamie Martin, Karl Olstrum, Sean Fitzimmons, Ross Gainford, Matthew Huby, Elliott Miller, Daniel Bower, Adam Ramsden, Jon Ritson, Shane Ackerley, Stevie Scholey, Callum Philips, Josh Haney, Andy Litherland, Daniel Rooney, Dale Horn, Alistair Leak.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk