Barrow Raiders forward Tom Hopkins has been called up to the Wales national team squad for the first time.
The 29-year-old is one of 15 uncapped players named in John Kear’s initial 30-man squad ahead of their test match against France later this month.
The game will take place in Albi on Sunday 19 June, with kick-off at 2:30pm (3:30pm local time).
Hopkins has made 10 appearances for the Raiders so far in 2022, scoring in Betfred Challenge Cup wins against Rochdale Hornets and Workington Town.
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His most recent outing came during last Sunday’s impressive 44-4 victory over Widnes Vikings in the Betfred Championship.
Wales head coach John Kear will trim his squad to 21-players next week ahead of the trip to France.
The match will be Wales men’s first 13-a-side international since beating Ireland in November 2018 to qualify for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup.
“I’m doing my best to stay as grounded as possible,” Hopkins said. “I’ve been invited into the WRL camp next week for a training session on 14 June, and following that training session the touring squad will be announced.
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“I’m trying not to focus on the test match at this stage. I’m fully focused on how I’m playing for Barrow and looking after any niggles so I have the best training session I can.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting the lads at camp, and hopefully the coaching staff see enough that they want me to play against France.
“I’d love to be part of the Wales World Cup squad at the end of the year, but I know there’s a lot that needs to go well in the meantime, so I’m just taking each day as it comes.”
Hopkins becomes the second Raiders player to be called up by his national team ahead of the upcoming international break, with Jarrod Sammut set to feature for Malta against Lebanon in Sydney.
The 30-man squad in full:
Caleb Aekins* (Leigh Centurions)
Bailey Antrobus* (York City Knights)
Gavin Bennion (Rochdale Hornets)
Joe Burke (West Wales Raiders)
Chester Butler (Huddersfield Giants)
Michael Butt (Swinton Lions)
Curtis Davies (Workington Town)
Connor Davies (Workington Town)
Rhys Evans (Bradford Bulls)
Ben Evans (Bradford Bulls)
William Evans* (Whitehaven)
Jude Ferreira* (London Broncos)
Dan Fleming (Bradford Bulls)
Matty Fozard (Widnes Vikings)
Dalton Grant (London Broncos)
Cobi Green* (Rochdale Hornets)
Tom Hopkins* (Barrow Raiders)
Kyle Huish* (Wigan Warriors)
Lewis Hulme* (Widnes Vikings)
Paddy Jones* (Swinton Lions)
Elliott Kear (c) (Bradford Bulls)
Kieran Lewis* (West Wales Raiders)
Rhodri Lloyd (Swinton Lions)
Lewis Pinder* (Wigan Warriors)
Owen Restall* (Oldham Roughyeds)
Luis Roberts* (Leigh Centurions)
Anthony Walker (Bradford Bulls)
David Weetman* (Workington Town)
Calvin Wellington* (Oldham Roughyeds)
Rhys Williams (Salford Red Devils)
*Uncapped