Welsh Rugby League Players

This time I’ve made a list of all the Welsh Rugby league players (Pro and semi-pro) in the world.

Please let me know if there is anyone I have missed or any heritage players I am unaware of.

NRL-

Sam Hughes PR Canterbury

Harry Hayes SR Canterbury  

 

SL-

Luis Roberts CE/WG Leeds

Josh Lynch WG Warrington

Gil Dudson PR Salford

Luke Thomas PR Warrington

 

Championship-

Max Clarke CE Barrow

Elliot Kear FB Batley  

Chester Butler SR Bradford

Owen Restall FB Dewsbury

Curtis Davies HK Dewsbury

Caleb Aekins FB Featherstone

Connor Davies LK Halifax

Rhys Williams WG Swinton

Gavin Bennion PR Swinton

Will Evans CE Whitehaven

Matty Fozard HK Widnes  

Rhodri Lloyd SR Widnes

Mike Butt WG/FB Widnes

Ant Walker PR Widnes

Bailey Antrobus SR York

 

NSW/QLD CUP-

Josh Ralph HB Dragons  

 

League 1-

George Mitchell WG Cornwall

Matt Ross LK Cornwall

Harry Boots PR Cornwall  

David Weetman LK Cornwall

Jake Lloyd LK Cornwall

Jude Ferreira CE Hunslet

Ben Sheils CE Hunslet  

Rhys Davies SR Hunslet  

Billy Walkely WG/FB Keighley  

Sam Bowring SR Midlands

George Birch WG/CE Newcastle  

Ben Evans PR/LK North Wales  

Owain Abel FB North Wales

Jamie Jenkins SR North Wales  

Craig Kopzack PR Oldham  

Joseph Coope-Franklin CE Rochdale

Kyle Huish SR Rochdale  

 

A-Grade Australia-

Lewis Hall CE Coffs Harbour  

Ryan Wescombe CE Burleigh  

 

Amateur British teams-

Ieuan Badham PR South Wales Jets

Ewan Badham PR South Wales Jets  

 

Elite 2-

Kieran Lewis HK Lescure  

 

SL Reserves-

Mason Phillips CE/SR Salford  

Finley Yates HK Salford  

Charlie Glover PR/LK Salford  

Alex Banks SR London  

Dylan Morgan WG London  

Dafydd Morgan HK London  

Huw Worthington PR London  

 

Academy-

Jake Nottingham CE Warrington  

Kaden Johnson SR Warrington  

Junior Westwood HB Warrington  

Sam Grice SR Castleford  

 

Not sure where there playing-

Jake Lee PR  

Ieuan Roberts PR  

Scott Pritchard SR/LK  

Lewis Pinder HB  

Jemarie Chatham WG  

Fraser Stroud HB

Paddy Jones PR

Will Odgers SR

Calvin Wellington CE

Lewis Hulme HK

Sion Jones SR

Ben Morris CE

Lachlan Hughes SR

 

?-

Tyson Frizell SR Newcastle

Bradman Best CE Newcastle

 

Suspended-

Rowland Kaye CE

Charley Bodman SR  

Edited yesterday at 07:05 by NRLandSL

This is my wales best 17-

1.Owen Restall  

2.Rhys Williams  

3.Elliot Kear  

4.Luis Roberts  

5.Billy Walkely  

6.Caleb Aekins  

7.Josh Ralph  

8.Gil Dudson  

9.Matty Fozard  

10.Sam Hughes  

11.Chester Butler  

12.Rhodri Lloyd  

13.Connor Davies  

 

14.Curtis Davies  

15.Luke Thomas  

16.Ben Evans  

17.Harry Hayes  

Edited Monday at 13:27 by NRLandSL

Although they have chosen tier 1 countries I believe that Morgan Knowles, Tyson Frizell and Bradman Best are all eligible for Wales

12 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

Although they have chosen tier 1 countries I believe that Morgan Knowles, Tyson Frizell and Bradman Best are all eligible for Wales

Yes I haven’t included Knowles and Harry Smith because they are nailed on England players. But I put Best and Frizell at the bottom because there’s a chance they could play for Wales.

That doesn't seem like many in the top two leagues (NRL and SL).

Are those 6 even Welsh born and bred, or are they grandparent rule types?

19 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

That doesn't seem like many in the top two leagues (NRL and SL).

Are those 6 even Welsh born and bred, or are they grandparent rule types?

Gil Dudson, Cardiff born.

Josh Lynch, Colwyn Bay I believe.

Harry Hayes, the Grandson of GB forward Merv Hicks

Edited Monday at 16:48 by burnleywelsh

3 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

Yes I haven’t included Knowles and Harry Smith because they are nailed on England players. But I put Best and Frizell at the bottom because there’s a chance they could play for Wales.

If Wales were playing in big games and tournaments every year then some bigger name players might be convinced to commit

Knowles and Frizell both played for Wales when younger and less experienced, but both went to the bigger nations when they got good enough   In fact, Frizell played for Wales in the 2011 4 Nations (still got a photo somewhere when we were beating the Aussies 8-0 at the Racecourse before they beat us, in the year that Lee Briers and Ian Watson retired from Internationals after the tournament)

Edited Monday at 19:59 by FearNothing

7 hours ago, burnleywelsh said:

Gil Dudson, Cardiff born.

Josh Lynch, Colwyn Bay I believe.

Harry Hayes, the Grandson of GB forward Merv Hicks

I thought Josh Lynch was born in Colwyn Bay Wales but it says on the Warrington wesbsite he is born in Liverpool and raised in Preston so I’m not sure.

7 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

That doesn't seem like many in the top two leagues (NRL and SL).

Are those 6 even Welsh born and bred, or are they grandparent rule types?

Yes definitely not many. The flags next to there names show were they were born and raised. In fact there’s only 13 Welsh born and raised players in the top 3 English leagues and 5 of them are from the 2011 crusaders team and close to retirement. Not great stuff.

Though some of the youth does look exciting. Billy Walkely is only 20 years old and already has 9 tries in league 1 this season for keighley, he has heaps of potential and could go on to be a great player. Youngsters Coope-Franklin, Huish and Jenkins all born 2003+ have all been signed to L1 teams.
Also from what I hear Charlie Glover is a serious talent, born in 2005, playing consistently in the front row for Salford reserves and already called up to the wales squad. He is a player who could debut in SL. Also a few other Welsh boys in the Salford Reserves and other SL academies.

@welshmagpie I believe I’m correct in saying you run HeCanPlayFor. Big fan of your work, wondering if there are any Welsh heritage players I am unaware of.

6 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

@welshmagpie I believe I’m correct in saying you run HeCanPlayFor. Big fan of your work, wondering if there are any Welsh heritage players I am unaware of.

Thanks for the shout. Yes there’s a couple missed off your fantastic list whilst one or two aren’t eligible (Connor Holliday being one).

End of May on social media for my Wales list mate  

11 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

I thought Josh Lynch was born in Colwyn Bay Wales but it says on the Warrington wesbsite he is born in Liverpool and raised in Preston so I’m not sure.

Not 100% sure. He was involved with RGC, the North Wales RU development region as a youngster, so not sure about him being brought up in Preston.