Sharks quartet selected for BARLA tours
SHAW Cross Sharks have four players selected for the BARLA tours to South Africa and Russia in May and June.
Three Sharks players are chosen for the Under-19s tour to South Africa, which leaves on May 20. They are full-back Pat Foulstone, centre Adam Masson and prop Zac Johnson.
Prop or second row Chris Jones has been named in the BARLA Under-21 squad to visit Russia, which leaves on June 24.
All four players joined Shaw Cross as juniors and have worked their way through to open age level.
Sharks' chairman Mick Turner, who is the BARLA international manager, said he was delighted by the selection to represent England, which was a great achievement. He added: "It is the aim of young players to play for their country, whatever their sport, and there is no greater game than rugby league in which to achieve this."
Meanwhile Shaw Cross secretary Douglas Hird has been presented with a commemorative plaque and medallion to mark the 40th anniversary of the club's Under-15 and Under-16 tours to France.
Mr Hird received the awards during the latest trip to France from the civic heads of Villeneuve and neighbouring town Tonneins.
Mr Hird and club president Alan Lancaster led the pioneering tour in 1970 and the exchange trips have been running without a break since then.
"Now more than 1,600 rugby league-playing boys from the two countries have taken part in this exchange, which is a remarkable achievement," said Mr Hird.
This year's tour was led by Sharks' junior chairman, Alan Smith, along with the club's French committee members Tracy Grimwood, Graham Parker and coaches Jonny Bond (Under-16s) and Darren Hardaker (Under-15s) with, of course, Mr Hird.
The players were hosted by French families and experienced local culture and cuisine.
As well as playing rugby, they visited an ancient castle and learned something of French/English conflicts of the past. They also had a leisure day on a giant sand dune near Bordeaux.
Next year the French make the return journey to Shaw Cross and stay with local families to begin the fifth decade of this exceptional exchange.
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Weather for Batley
Friday 25 May 2012
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