Five Bulls starlets have been included in the England Academy squad for 2011.

Hooker Adam O’Brien keeps his place among the 38-man group after starring in the recent Test series triumph over Australia Schoolboys and has been joined by four new call-ups.

Full-time squad members John Bateman and Liam McAvoy, who both impressed in the recent friendly against Halifax, earn spots along with Jack Cockerham and Robert Hawthorne.

England Academy head to France later this year for a Test series, hoping to emulate last year’s successes when they became the first side since 2002 to beat their Australian contemporaries.

Head coach Dave Elliott said: “It’s great that ten of the squad that played and beat the Aussies last year are still eligible for under-18 this season.

“But we’ve got a lot of new, talented young players who have come up from our youth programme and players who have forced their way into the squad after performing well in 2010, so it’s an exciting time for us.

“The series against France will be a big test because the French are constantly improving and some of our young players have never beaten France before.”

England Academy squad: John Bateman, Jack Cockerham, Robert Hawthorne, Adam O’Brien, Liam McAvoy, (all Bradford Bulls), Michael Bishay (Harlequins RL), Daniel Bridge, Greg Burke, Liam Carberry, Matthew Russell, Chris Taylor (all Wigan Warriors), Alex Brown, Thomas Gilmore, Jack Owens, Declan Sephton-Hulme (all Widnes Vikings), Jordan Chase, Daniel Jones, Josh Jones, Greg Wilde, Daniel Yates (all St Helens), Daryl Clark (Castleford Tigers), Ben Crookes, Reece Lyne (both Hull FC), Ben Currie, Ben Evans, Rhys Evans, Bobbie Goulding, Gene Ormsby, Ryan Shaw (all Warrington Wolves), Andrew Morris (Salford City Reds), Jay Rossi (Whitehaven RL), Liam Salter, Louis Sheriff (both Hull KR), Daniel Sarginson (Harlequins RL), Brad Singleton, Daniel Smith, Jared Stewart, Steve Ward (all Leeds Rhinos).