Five pupils have been chosen from Malet Lambert to be part of the City of Hull Academy U16 rugby league team.
Rugby scouts from City of Hull Academy – a fusion of both Hull FC and Hull KR - attended local matches to seek out talented youngsters to join the team.
After identifying players that impressed, pupils had to attended further training with Hull KR and Hull FC coaches for final selection.
Jacob, Adam, Archie, Charlie, and Bailey from Year 9 were all chosen, alongside 10 other pupils from various schools in the region.
Bailey, who plays for Skirlaugh Bulls, said, “All of us want to be professional players, so this is just the beginning of it all.”
Archie, who plays for West Hull RLFC, said, “I feel really proud to have been picked for this opportunity.”
The five boys all train with Hull FC and KR coaches at school, alongside City of Hull Academy training at Bishop Burton College twice a week, plus training for their own individual teams.
The aim behind the academy, which also runs an U19 team, is to create a pool of local talent to feed the main local rugby league teams.
The City of Hull Academy will play other national academy teams in a super league for the younger generation, with matches starting later in the year.
However, two of the chosen Malet pupils decided to transfer to a rival team – Castleford Tigers.
This means that when the new season starts, the pupils will be playing against each other.
Bailey said, “It’ll be weird playing each other, but useful because we know each other’s weak spots.
“City of Hull will clearly be the best team though.”
The pupils have already had much success as part of the school’s Year 9 rugby team, most recently winning the Sky Try Rugby League Festival without conceding a try.