Salford Red Devils are delighted to welcome the first three players through our Wales RL partnership.
Ieuan Roberts, Jake Lee and Joe Coope-Franklin will join the club’s Reserve Squad for 2022. Ieuan, Jacob and Joseph visited the The Salford Stadium yesterday to meet key club staff and tour the stadium, in advance of their move to the North West next month.
The players will join the Reserve Squad for pre-season training, combining their rugby development with their studies at the University of Central Lancashire. They have been identified by Paul Rowley, Stuart Wilkinson and Ian Blease during national training camps and their performances within the Wales International Pathway programme.
Paul Trainor, Executive Director of the club said “We are really pleased to welcome Ieuan, Jake and Joe to the club. They have greatly impressed Paul, Stuart and Ian during their visits to Wales. It was great to meet the lads and their families to discuss the plans that will be in place for when they join the Reserve set up for pre-season.”
Paul Rowley, Head of Talent and Pathways said: “Our Welsh partnership has gone from strength to strength and these boys are another example of that.
“From talent identification and development by Stu Wilkinson to housing and educational support by Paul Trainor, these boys have been given a wonderful opportunity to continue the tradition of Welsh stars pulling on the Salford jersey.
“We have complete confidence that each of the lads have both the ability and strength of character to be successful RL players and are very confident these athletes will be the first of many as our work in Wales continues.”
Mark Jones, Head Coach of the Wales RL National Development Academy, added: “Coleg Cymoedd partnership with Salford Red Devils & Wales RL is truly flourishing and I am elated for Ieuan, Jake, Joe & Ryan who are the first players to come through this new rugby league pathway. They are a testament to all the hard work the Salford, Cymoedd & Wales RL staff have put in over the last 12 months.”
