Ex-Mold youth Rhys earns call to face English.

Byline: ROB GRIFFITHS

FORMER Mold youth rugby union player Rhys Williams has been handed a call up to the Wales rugby league squad to take on England tomorrow.

Wales, led by former dual-coed superstar Iestyn Harris, will field a combination of youth and experience and they take on England in the Gillette Fusion International at the Brewery Field in Bridgend (kick-off 6.15pm), with Williams named among the 19-man squad.

With advance ticket sales now topping the figure that led to Celtic Crusaders' record crowd, the organisers are hoping for a bumper attendance that will rival the gates seen for the visits of St Helens, Wigan, Hull and Leeds Rhinos to Wales this year.

If named in the 17-man playing squad Williams will line up against Warrington Wolves club-mates Adrian Morley, Garreth Carvell and Ben Westwood, while the Wolves also have Mickey Higham and Chris Bridge named on the English bench.

England have released their actual playing line-up which includes Wolves forward Carvell, who was capped three times for Wales in 2000, against South Africa, Cook Island and Lebanon.

He has since represented Great Britain but tomorrow will be his first appearance in an England shirt.

He is allowed to play for England as he has not represented Wales in over two years and under international rules is allowed to switch nations if he so wishes.

The packed Brewery Field crowd could see up to 11 Crusaders take to the field against a strong England side as well as former Crusader Ian Webster making a return from Australia for the international series.

Last year's skipper David Mills is injured so Crusaders' Ben Flower, who has been putting in outstanding performances for his club over the last two years, has been appointed Wales captain.

Flower has skippered many sides in the past, from school right up to Newport Gwent Dragons age-group levels but this is his first international appointment.

"It's going to exciting being only a youngster myself," Flower said.

"For Iestyn to ask me to captain Wales was a dream come true. I'm looking forward to the game. I'll try not to let Iestyn and the team down and I'm determined to do my best job on Saturday evening."

Wales could field up to seven debutants.

WALES (from): Barron (Gateshead Thunder), Bateman (Celtic Crusaders), Blackwood (Celtic Crusaders), Budworth (Celtic Crusaders), Davies (Celtic Crusaders), Divorty (Featherstone Rovers), Dudson (Celtic Crusaders), Flower (Celtic Crusaders), Griffiths (Warrington Wolves), James (Celtic Crusaders), Kear (Celtic Crusaders), Kopzcak (Bradford Bulls), Mills (Celtic Crusaders), Roets (Bridgend Blue Bulls), Watson (Leigh Centurions), Webster (Central Comets), White (Celtic Crusaders), L Williams (Celtic Crusaders), R Williams (Warrington Wolves). ENGLAND: Sykes (Bradford Bulls), Fox (Hull KR), O'Loughlin (Wigan Warriors), Shenton (Castleford Tigers), Briscoe (Hull FC); Tomkins (Wigan Warriors), Myler (Salford City Reds); Morley (Warrington Wolves, capt), Moore (Huddersfield Giants), Carvell (Warrington Wolves), Ellis (West Tigers), Westwood (Warrington Wolves), Burgess (Bradford Bulls). Subs: McCarthy-Scarsbrook (Harlequins), Higham (Warrington Wolves), Tickle (Hull FC), Bridge (Warrington Wolves).