Cougars pair Harry Aaronson and Lewis Fairhurst have been selected in the initial 26-man England Universities squad.
Coached by former Keighley assistant coach Richard Tate, the students will face GB Police, GB Teachers and UK Armed Forces in the RFL President’s Cup before playing New Zealand Students in a two-test series.
The squad will then be cut to 20 ahead of a friendly against Cougars Reserves before England face Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the Student Four Nations.
Aaronson, who studies at the University of Leeds, and Fairhurst, a student at Edge Hill University, were part of the North side for the traditional Origin fixture and both are set to earn their first caps for England.
Tate’s side also includes last season's Cougars Reserves’ player of the year Kieran Smith, now with Hemel Stags, and former Cougars half-back Ben Stead, who is now plying his trade with Coventry Bears.
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