CHRIS MEEHAN has been selected for England Rugby Union's Under-17 Elite Development Squad.

Chris, a member of the Utley-based Keighley Crusaders club will now attend a number of squad coaching sessions throughout the North of England during the coming season.

All the players selected have been allocated a personal mentor who will help the young players set their goals and monitor their development between the full squad sessions.

But it is not all about playing rugby on the field, a large proportion of time at the residential weekends will be spent in the classroom with video reviews of training sessions and learning strategy, tactics, sports psychology and personal development.

Success though came at a price for Chris. He had to sacrifice a two week holiday in Portugal, which had already been paid for, to attend the residential course at Chester College this weekend.

He was Yorkshire Clubs Rugby Union captain this year and also captain of the Yorkshire Schools Rugby Union A team.

He thanked his coaches at Keighley and Yorkshire for helping him make it to the ranks of the England squad.

"We all need help to achieve things and without coaches like Bernie Rock at Keighley Crusaders or Tony Scully - a teacher at Holy Family School - at Yorkshire, I would never have progressed to reach the England Elite Development Squad."