League: Busy time for talented teens

The progress of the Junior Warriors will impact the selection of the New Zealand Under 18s side. Photo / Getty

Five players are poised for double international duty over the next two weeks, with the selection of the New Zealand Under 18s side to take on Australian Schoolboys in a two-game series.

The final make-up of the side will also hinge on the fortunes of the Junior Warriors, who play their sudden-death NYC semi-final against the Brisbane Broncos in Townsville on Saturday.

Three of the national age-group squad - Erin Clark, Ata Hingano and Amoni Tufui - have been named to play for the Junior Warriors. A fourth - Lewis Soosemea - played in the qualifying-final win over Sydney Roosters last Friday, but drops out of the side this week.

If the Junior Warriors win that rematch of last year's grand final and advance to week three of the finals series, all four players could be replaced in the New Zealand Under 18s team.

For Bostyn Hakaraia, Phoenix Hunt, David Phillips, Chris Sio and Auzzie Tuwhangai, the Under 18s series will be their second international assignment in quick succession - they are also part of the New Zealand Schools team to take on New South Wales Combined High Schools next week.

The New Zealand Under 18s face Australian Schools on September 27 at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium and again on October 2 at Wynnum.

Last month, the Under 18s series looked doomed after financial difficulties saw the New Zealand Rugby League withdraw from the fixtures because it could not finance the trip.

The games were resurrected after the NZRL reached an agreement with the NRL on August 21 to ensure they would go ahead as planned.

New Zealand Under 18s squad:
Tarquinn Alatipi (Wellington), Erin Clark (Akarana), Whitiroa Davis (Akarana), Keanu Dawson (Upper Central), Rory Ferguson (Southern), Jackson Ferris (Mid Central), Bostyn Hakaraia (Akarana), Morgan Harper (Upper Central), Ata Hingano (Counties Manukau), Phoenix Hunt (Counties Manukau), Rory Marshall-Barton (Counties Manukau), Tyrone Nathan (Counties Manukau), Fabian Paletua-Kiri (Mid-Central), David Phillips (Counties Manukau), Chris Sio (Akarana), Lewis Soosemea (Counties Manukau), Amoni Tufui (Akarana), Auzzie Tuwhangai (Akarana).