League: Whangarei's Aekins in Wales World Cup training squad

Caleb Aekins captained Whangarei Boys' High School rugby and league sides before joining the Panthers.

Penrith Under-20s fullback Caleb Aekins has been named in a 38-strong Wales training squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

The former Otaika Eagles junior has been impressing at the back in the Holden Cup for the third-placed Panthers throughout the season and has been rewarded with this call-up.

Aekins captained Whangarei Boys' High School league and rugby sides before heading to Australia.

He joins Panthers teammate winger Daniel Brown and Newcastle Knights halfback Josh Ralph among six uncapped players named by Wales coach John Kear in the provisional squad.

The squad was announced on Friday at Wales' World Cup kit launch, which marked 100 days until their opening group match against Papua New Guinea.

St Helens pair Calvin Wellington and Elliot Jenkins and Coventry Bears' back Zak Williams are the other players yet to represent Wales.

Ben Evans, Ben Flower, Larne Patrick and Rhys Evans, who all made their last appearances at Rugby League World Cup 2013, have been selected alongside 20 of Wales' 22-man squad for last year's World Cup qualification campaign.

In total, the squad features 12 players from Super League clubs, nine players from Championship clubs, 13 players from League 1 clubs and four players from NRL and Australian clubs, including Ollie Olds of West Brisbane Panthers.

Kear said it was a stirring time for the team.

"Everybody is pretty excited about the World Cup," he said.

"The train-on squad is a mixture of those who have achieved with us and newcomers who have come to our attention. We want to be able to pick the best squad for the World Cup."

Aekins is part of a strong link between Northland and the Penrith Panthers.

Waimamaku's Corey Harawira-Naera is enjoying a strong debut season in the NRL where he has paired up with Rawene's James Fisher-Harris.

Fisher-Harris has endured a frustrating 2017 campaign as he has struggled with injuries, limiting him to just seven appearances so far this year.