14 Jul 2022

Under-16s clash with Thunder this week

Leeds Rhinos vs Warrington Wolves Academy at Headingley in Leeds. Photo courtesy of Craig Hawkhead Photography

Leeds Rhinos Under-16s play their penultimate match of 2022 this Thursday night as Mark Butterill’s side welcome Newcastle Thunder to Stanningley, kick of 7pm.

Last time out, the young Rhinos held on to survive a late fightback from Wakefield Trinity in a 42-36 display. Fergus McCormack led the try scoring with two tries, while Lloyd McEwan-Peters extended his lead as the Scholarship’s top try scorer by taking his total to five for the year.

The result was Leeds’ third consecutive win of the campaign, after they lost their opening two games against St Helens and Warrington. Following Thursday’s game, the Rhinos are on home soil for their final clash with local rivals Castleford Tigers as they look to cap off another successful season in style.

Newcastle’s season has been tough as Thunder have lost all six of their matches. From their opening clash with Huddersfield Giants, the side from the North East have been defeated by Castleford, Warrington, Hull FC, Bradford and Hull KR. If form is anything to go by, this week’s game will be another tough test as Leeds have beaten Newcastle in their last two meetings in 2019 and 2017.

Team News

For the clash with Thunder, Leeds have made nine changes to the side that beat Wakefield last time out.

With only two games left in the Under-16s’ season, Thursday’s squad is mainly taken up by Under-15s players as Butterill gives game time to the youngest talents in the Rhinos’ development pathway. Duo Noah Whittingham and Joe Diskin make their first starting appearances of the year, having come from the bench in previous matches.

16-year old props Joe Phillips and Declan Ementon return to the squad, Phillips notably returning from injury to captain the side for the second time this season. Winger Leo Skerrett-Evans also moves into the starting team after coming off the bench at the Be Well Support Stadium.

There is a change in the half backs as well as George Brown and Harry Smith combine for the second time this year. Thursday’s match is only Brown’s second appearance of the season after the former Dewsbury Celtics junior started at stand off in the Rhinos 52-16 win over Hull KR in May, while West Bowling’s Smith is back after missing the Trinity match. Fergus McCormack drops out of the side in place of Brown and Jack Purtill is included on the bench for his second appearance of the year.

Forward Bobby Hartley and centre Harley Thomas’ inclusions mean that they become the only two players to feature in every Scholarship match this year.

On the bench, 15-year old Dax Millington is set to make his debut after swapping Rugby Union for Rugby League to join the Rhinos from Doncaster Knights. Luca Teal is back in the squad for the first time since the 60-0 home win over Bradford Bulls, plus hooker Elliott Fox is also included.

There are a number of late changes to the squad too. Callum Webster and Alex Cowley are both unavailable through illness, so Toby Marshall and Dylan Hutchinson come into their places.

The team in full is: