Local duo selected for Great Britain U23 squad

It is a nice boost for the clubs, who work hard to develop young players and others are undoubtedly in the pipeline for international selection at various levels. The Britain Under-23s, who are coached by former Batley player Daryl Cardiss, are having a warm-up game against The Navy at Portsmouth this weekend.

They will be joined on tour by vastly experienced BARLA International manager Mick Turner, also of Shaw Cross.

The Sharks’ semi-final against Thornhill Trojans in the Jim Brown Heavy Woollen Cup at Leeds Road has been put back from next Tuesday to Wednesday (6.30pm).

Before then Cross seek to end their run of three successive defeats in National Conference Division Two as they host Eastmoor Dragons tomorrow (Saturday). The visitors have had a slow start to the season with only one win from their six games to date.

Also in Conference Division Two, Dewsbury Celtic seek to make it three wins on the bounce when they visit Featherstone Lions, who gained their second win last weekend when they won at Eastmoor.

The draw has been made for the first round of the inaugural Conference Challenge Cup. Shaw Cross will visit Featherstone Lions or Premier Division Wath Brow, while Celtic visit another Premier Division club in Siddal. The ties will be played on the weekend of May 12 and 13.

On the local front Birstall Victoria end their Championship League campaign with a trip to leaders Halifax Irish.

The home side are level on points with Dewsbury Moor, who have finished their season, while the Irish have two games left.

The Halifax side also have a much superior points difference and it would take a monumental collapse for them not to clinch the title with Moor set to join them in the Premier Division next season as runners-up.

Victoria are third bottom and can move up a place if they win but either way are safe from relegation.

Two successive defeats have shaken up Hanging Heaton in Division Six but they went into last night’s home game against Clayton A with sufficient games in hand of leaders Undercliffe to finish top. They have another home game on Saturday when King Cross Park A visit Bywell Fields.

The Shaw Cross second team begin their season in the new summer Yorkshire Men’s League on Saturday when they meet North Yorkshire Stallions at Leeds Road.