Salmon earns England call

England A coach Kear has been impressed by Salmon

Paul Salmon, who recently signed for Widnes from Northern Ford Premiership side Barrow, has been named in the England A squad.

Salmon, the only non-Super League player to be selected, will train with the 28 other squad members as England A prepare to face New Zealand at Griffin Park at the end of October.

Salmon earned his call as he prepares to move into the Super League for the 2003 season.

Salmon joins Vikings

He has also played in South Africa with the England Under 21 team and is highly rated by England A coach John Kear.

Paul showed he has international Rugby League credentials

John Kear

Speaking about Salmon, Kear said: "Paul has been one of the outstanding players in the Premiership this year."

"Widnes coach Neil Kelly is a shrewd enough judge of a player to know that Paul is good enough to play in the Super League.

"Paul showed he has international credentials on the Under 21 tour and this is the next logical step for him."

Warrington's Paul Noone also makes the squad despite failing to feature regularly for his Super League club and being loaned to Premiership side Chorley Lynx at the start of this year.

Leeds Rhinos provide the biggest contingent to the training squad with seven members of their team included.

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England A squad: Martin Aspinwall (Wigan Warriors), Mike Bennett (St Helens), Rickey Bibey (Wigan Warriors), Andrew Brocklehurst (Halifax Blue Sox), Rob Burrow (Leeds Rhinos), Mark Calderwood (Leeds Rhinos), Ryan Clayton (Halifax Blue Sox), Paul Cooke (Hull FC), Matthew Diskin (Leeds Rhinos), Stuart Donlan (Halifax Blue Sox), Mark Edmundson (St Helens), Gareth Ellis (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats), Adrian Gardner (St Helens), Michael Higham (St Helens), Ryan Hudson (Castleford Tigers), Danny McGuire (Leeds Rhinos), Richard Moore (Bradford Bulls), Jason Netherton (Leeds Rhinos), Paul Noone (Warrington Wolves), Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan Warriors), Waine Pryce (Castleford Tigers), Paul Salmon (Barrow Raiders), Paul Sykes (London Broncos), Danny Tickle (Wigan Warriors), Mark Smith (Wigan Warriors), Chev Walker (Leeds Rhinos), Danny Ward (Leeds Rhinos), Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves), Paul Wood (Warrington Wolves).