The University Inter-Regional Games took place at Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park on Saturday 6th December, marking the first rung on the ladder of selection for the England Universities team.
From the three southern regions – Midlands, South East and South West and from the three northern regions – North West, North East and Yorkshire – the North and South Origin teams will be selected with the Annual University Rugby League Origin game taking place in February 2026 as the second phase of selection.
All three games played on Saturday provided England selectors with plenty to think about as they begin the match review and selection process, with Origin train on squads set to be announced before Christmas.
Yorkshire 22 North East 24 (1.30pm)
Yorkshire and North East served up a close game to open the day. North East opened the scoring as Tom Delaney found his way through a gap to the left of the posts and extended their lead as James Leach jinked and weaved from forty metres out to add their second. Yorkshire hit back as found his way to the line before the break, with Luke Illingworth on target with the conversion.
Yorkshire levelled shortly after the restart as Lucas Child dropped on a clever kick and Illingworth converted. Will Handley finished the third of three Yorkshire breaks in the middle of the field to put them ahead for the first time in the game, but Illingworth was unable to convert. Harry Lowery barged his way through for the North East to score under the posts to put the North East back in front, but it was a short lived lead as Sam Ratcliffe found his way to the line for Yorkshire, with Illingworth this time on target with the boot. The final word went to Lowery, adding his second in carbon copy style and as Bradley converted the fourth of his four conversions as the North East held on to record the slender win.
Yorkshire
Tom Delaney, Archie Walker, Leon Stewart, Deusjes Nzage, Will Handley, Ben Grindley-Roberts, Luke Illingwroth, Jack Smith, Archie Gray, Oliver Brown, Sam Ratcliffe, Lucas Child, Eddie Nolan.
Interchanges: Kyronn Fairclough, Joe Davies, Thomas Rea, Harvey Harrison, Henry Watkinson, Mackauly Stephenson
Tries: Tom Delaney (32), Lucas Child (42), Will Handley (49), Sam Ratcliffe (66)
Goals: Luke Illingworth 3/4
North East
Jack Green, Alexander Kay, Max Hope, Brandon Angol, Rhys Swallows, Joe Bradley, Jake Griffiths, Isaac Oughton, Will Linton, Rob Mensah, Hayden Todd, James Leach, Harry Lowery.
Interchanges: Matty Rolls, Tommy Gibbs, Bahada Trawally, Mustafa Hassan, Ted Clarke, Freddie Patten.
Tries: Max Hope (9), James Leach (18), Harry Lowery (57, 77)
Goals: Joe Bradley 4/4
Referee: Tyler Topping
Half Time: 6-12
South East 10 South West 30 (3.30pm)
South West showed grit and determination and some individual skill in their win over South East who in turn battled hard for the full eighty minutes to showcase the best of their talent. Joe Capener opened the South West’s account early, with scores from William Lawes and James Stanton giving them the half time lead, although Shay Flanagan missing all three conversion kept the advantage to only two converted scores. Flanagan found his kicking boots during the break, converting Oliver McDermott’s early second half score to put the South West further in the lead.
Joseph Boone got South East off the mark although Matt Noble’s conversion bounced off the upright. Capener added a second for South West, with Flanagan missing before Stanton added his second which also went unconverted. Minutes later Stanton completed his hat trick, with Flanagan again off target. A long pass from the South East found David Spence in space on the wing, with Noble adding the conversion from the touchline as a solid consolation.
South East
Tom Melton, Joseph Boone, Charlie Wood, Ollie Bellis, Ed Salter, Matt Noble, Joseph Robinson, Calvin Preston, Tom Ogg, George Granville, Marcus Handley, John Davies, Max Nathan Amissah.
Interchanges: Luca Tedesco, Kevin Kodituwakku, Thomas Cox, Kit Winter, Rob Williams, Simeon Townsend, David Spence
Tries: Joseph Boone (55), David Spence (77)
Goals: Matt Noble 1/2
South West
James Boyles, Jake Wragg, Jared Lewis, Joe Capener, James Stanton, Shay Flanagan, Oliver McDermott, Luis Rowe, William Lawes, Tom Flemming, William Peasey, Oliver Edge, Tega Rume-Tabiowo.
Interchanges: Finn Harvey, Vini Alves, Tom Morgan
Tries: Joe Capener (2, 59), William Lawes (25), James Stanton (34, 66, 68), Oliver McDermott (41)
Goals: Shay Flanagan 1/7
Referee: James Broomhead
Half Time: 0-12
Midlands 4 North West 20 (5.30pm)
In the final game of the day, played under floodlights, Uchenna Okereke fired his way through for Midlands just two minutes into the game, but Jacob Rigby could not improve with the conversion. It took another 34 minutes of battling Rugby League between the two sides for the next score which saw North West as Harry Bates found his way in on the left wing, but the kick was too far for Sam Lloyd. Lloyd was on target minutes later as Will Dobson broke away, passed wide and then backed up his winger to put North West ahead at the break.
Lloyd burned his way through the middle, converting his own try early in the second half to further extend the North West’s lead. Josh Barnard added a further North West try before the remaining 30 minutes of the game went scoreless as both sides showed some fierce defence.
Midlands
Alex Edun, Teddy McCaffrey, Fin Dagnall, Uchenna Okereke, Ed Stephens, Jacob Rigby, Jon Dessington, Tom Schofield, Curtis Mawson, Mase Nissinen-Le, Ollie Patterson, Dom Barnwell, Jacob Butler.
Interchanges: Fin Tetlow, Cam Stephens, Alex Gow, Josh Tutt, Luke Grocock, Bence Barta.
Tries: Uchenna Okereke (2)
Goals: Jacob Rigby 0/1
North West
Mason McMurray, Caleb Knyastron, Josh Barnard, Will Dobson, Harry Bates, Sam Lloyd, Lachlan Woolnough, George Moffit, Simeon Quarmby, Harrison Adams, Alex Woodhall, Chayse Quigley, Alfie Mather.
Interchanges: Ollie SKeech, Luke Fisher, Harvey Mitton, Vinny Rowlands, Lewis Dawson
Tries: Harry Bates (36), Will Dobson (39), Sam Lloyd (42), Josh Barnard (51)
Goals: Sam Lloyd 2/4
Referee: George Cox
Half Time: 4-10
