THE recent rise of rugby league in York has been reflected by the success of two teenagers who have made it into the England Under-15 Combined Youth squad - and their achievement has been recognised by none other than Great Britain chief David Waite.

New Earswick All Blacks duo Ross Divorty - son of former Hull and GB star Gary Divorty - and Danny Allan, both of whom attend Archbishop Holgate School, were selected after making it through several selection stages.

Also in the 18-man squad is Scarborough's Sam Millward, of Scalby School, and the three players got the seal of approval from Waite, the Lions coach and performance director, during his one-off coaching demonstration at Oaklands School in York on Thursday night.

Allan is on a scholarship with Super League side Castleford Tigers, while Divorty and Millward are affiliated to Hull FC.

The trio were chosen for the North Yorkshire Service Area at U14 level last year and went on to progress through regional camps and carnivals to the U15s national camp.

Their latest selection will now give them their first taste of international representative rugby league.

Utility back Allan and back-rower Divorty play their club rugby at U16s level, giving away a year to the players around them, and Gary Divorty, who coaches the All Blacks U16s team, said: "They've grown in stature and have come on in leaps and bounds. They both definitely deserve to be in the England squad. They both played well for Yorkshire and have trained well."

The England U15s team, whose head coach is former Huddersfield and Bradford back-rower Basil Richards, will play Wales at Aberavon on Good Friday, April 9.

Meanwhile, Waite's seminar at Oaklands, organised by the North Yorkshire Service Area, was attended by more than 50 local players and coaches.

There was a half-hour question and answer session followed by a 90-minute practical demonstration.

Neil Gulliver, City of York Council's rugby league development officer, said: "Everyone who attended found the session to be very useful."

Updated: 09:00 Saturday, March 20, 2004