The cream of under-18 rugby league talent in the North Yorkshire area has been selected for the first representative squad of 2005.

More than 30 players from the York, Harrogate and Selby area - including a handful of rugby union exponents - attended the trial.

They were put through their paces in a match played over four quarters under the watchful eyes of a panel, including under-18s coaches Mike Kilmartin and Dave Blacker, and York City Knights development officer Jason Ramshaw.

The youngsters were whittled down to a squad of 21, who will train together one night a week for the next three weeks before travelling to South Yorkshire on February 5 and hosting Wakefield on February 16.

North Yorkshire rugby league development officer Ian Wilson was delighted with the quality on show at the trial, saying: "We were pretty pleased with the turn-out.

"Despite never playing together before, the lads gelled quickly and the standard of play was good.

"All the players involved should be proud of their efforts."

The under-18s squad taken from the entire North Yorkshire service area is the first of the year to be selected with trials for under-12, 13, 14 and 15 teams pencilled in for March.

Squad: Matt Derry (Heworth), Jonathan Readshaw (Selby Rugby Union), Mike Walsh (H), Todd Wain (SRU), Daryl North (York Acorn), Kev Brayshaw (YA), Paul Thompson (H), John Liddle (SRU), Sean Coulson (H), Liam Watling (H), Craig Bywood (Army Foundation College, Harrogate), Daryl Fogg (New Earswick All Blacks), Matthew Embleton (YA), Dean Smith (NE), Steven Mackley (NE), Thomas Mackley (NE), Thomas Gargan (YA), Chris Varley (H), Liam Gargan (NE), Sam Johnson (H), Tom Oddo (NE).

Updated: 10:48 Thursday, January 06, 2005