TRIALS will begin on Wednesday for budding rugby league aces to take the next step up the sport’s ladder.

Rugby Football League chiefs are re-launching the Service Area set-up at the end of the summer, giving it a slightly new look and new place in the player pathway scheme.

And players, from the under-13s to the U16s age brackets, from clubs and schools in the York and district area will have the chance of selection to the North Yorkshire squads via trial sessions, the first of which is for the U13s (current U12s) and will be held at New Earswick ARLC on Wednesday.

The Service Area set-up across the country was put on hold this year as the RFL brought in a new-look scholarship system, where leading young players instead signed up to professional clubs, including York City Knights, for training and to play matches.

The new Service Area will be in addition to these scholarships, thereby giving more players a further chance to gain top-quality coaching and development, although the teams will not play matches against other areas, like they previously did.

The North Yorkshire Service Area will be driven by a steering group, comprising representatives of all the local clubs.

Players have been nominated for trials through their amateur club or school, the idea being to broaden the pool of players not only playing the game but also receiving high quality coaching.

• The Knights Scholarship U16s play away to Featherstone U16s today (1.15pm).