EIGHT Saints youngsters have been named in the Lancashire 'Academy' squad for the upcoming origin series against Yorkshire.

Stand-off Jack Welsby, who starred in England Academy’s 2-0 series win against the Australian Schoolboys last winter and played in Saints' first team against Catalans last weekend, is included in the squad.

Also called up are hooker Jake Wingfield, props Jamie Pye and Kye Siyani and centre Josh Simm.

Meanwhile, forward Lewis Baxter, half-back Lewis Dodd and centre Matthew Foster have also been included in the Red Rose squad.

The three-match Origin series begins at Castleford on Easter Saturday (April 20).

There is an additional emphasis on the Origin series in 2019, with no Academy internationals against southern hemisphere opposition this year – although many players in these squads will aiming to stake a claim for the tour of Australia in 2020.

The second match of the series will be played at Blackpool FC’s Bloomfield Road stadium on Saturday May 18 as part of the Betfred Championship Summer Bash weekend, with the series concluding at Odsal on June 15.

Saints' assistant Ian Talbot is the head coach of the Lancashire team, going up against opposite number Luke Robinson for Yorkshire.

Full squads below:

Lancashire: Billy Glover (Widnes), Connor Wrench (Warrington), Ethan Havard (Wigan), Harry Rushton (Wigan), Jack Welsby (St Helens), Jake Bradley (Whitehaven), Jake Wingfield (St Helens), Jamie Pye (St Helens), Jarrod O’Connor (Leeds), Joe Barnes (Warrington), Josh Simm (St Helens), Josh Thewlis (Warrington), Kye Siyani (St Helens), Lewis Baxter (St Helens), Lewis Dodd (St Helens), Matthew Foster (St Helens), Reece Hamlett (Wigan), Sam Halsall (Wigan), Sam Walters (Leeds), Umyla Hanley (Wigan).

Yorkshire: Brad Martin (Leeds), Conner Wynne (City of Hull Academy), Connor Bailey (Wakefield Trinity), Corey Johnson (Leeds), Dom Young (Huddersfield), Ellis Longstaff (Warrington), Harry Shackleton (Bradford), Jack Broadbent (Leeds), Jack Croft (Wakefield), Jacob Gannon (Warrington), Kai Tyson (City of Hull Academy), Lewis Peachey (Castleford), Liam Tindall (Leeds), Liam Whitton (Leeds), Mikey Lewis (City of Hull Academy), Morgan Smithies (Wigan), Rian Rowley (Leeds), Riley Dean (Warrington), Tom Holroyd (Leeds), Yusuf Aydin (Wakefield).