JAKE Carter is optimistic of his chances of earning a starting spot for England Colleges’ clash with the Australian Schoolboys next month.

Carter, who this week signed his first professional contract with Barrow Raiders, is one of three players from last season’s Furness Raiders squad to earn a place in the national colleges squad for the match at Newcastle’s Kingston Park on November 25.

The stand-off, Jake Stockdale and Tyler Lancaster all have a further chance to impress the England coaches this weekend when they face Catalans Dragons under-19s and Carter is pleased with how they have all been getting on at training.

“It’s been going well,” said Carter. “I think all three of us have made a really good impression and I’m hoping all three of us will be in the starting 13 to play that game.

“I’m pretty confident of that because we’re training well.

“We’ve got a game this weekend against Catalans Dragons which I’m looking forward to and we’ve got a couple more training sessions with England Academy leading up to the game.

The trio are not the only former or current Furness players to be on international duty, with Barrow Island’s Elliot Campbell and Walney Central player Cameron Hetherington facing off for Scotland under-19s and the England Lions community game teams respectively in Edinburgh last month.

Lancaster’s Millom clubmates Charlie Emslie and Connor Terill are involved with Scotland’s age-group set-up too and will hope to be part of their internationals at the end of the year.

The match against the Australian Schoolboys will be a stiff test for the Furness trio and their England team-mates, with the young Kangaroos having produced over 50 Australia Test players since 1972.

Carter is relishing the prospect of pitting himself against Australia’s best young players though.

“I think it will be a great experience, regardless of the result, and it will be another proud moment,” said Carter.

“I don’t think anyone will be expecting us to go out there and get anything out of the game, but sometimes it’s good being the underdog.

“We’ll have no pressure on us, and hopefully we can go out there and get a good result. It will be one to remember in the future.”