BARROW Island’s Perry Singleton will lead some of the country’s finest young rugby league talent on a trip to the Caribbean next week.

Singleton, who will skipper the party is one of five of South Cumbria’s leading young players in the BARLA Under-23s squad who fly out to Jamaica on Monday for a two-Test series against the Reggae Warriors.

Singleton’s Island clubmate Luke Cresswell, Millom hooker Marcus O’Brien, Askam’s Tom Hopkins and Walney’s Matty Elliott, who warmed up for the trip with a hat-trick in the derby win over Barrow Island, make up the quintet of local talent in the 22-man playing squad.

They are likely to make up the backbone of the BARLA sides on the trip which, in addition to the Tests, will include a match against a local select side. They will round it off by taking part in a promotional seven-a-side tournament.

Millom’s Tom Sibley, who is assistant coach for the tour, was enthusiastic about the visit and confident that the local lads will be able to make a big impression.

“We have a good reputation and there is a lot of talent in the squad,” said Sibley, who consequently will be absent from Craven Park next Friday when his Woollybacks side take on Askam in the Barton Townley Cup final.

“ The squad, which includes leading under 23 players from across Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire, have been training together for several months and things are looking promising.”

But, as he explained, it takes more than rugby talent to book a seat on the flight to Jamaica. The players have been involved in months of fund-raising events to help pay for the costs of the trip.

“All their clubs have been raising funds through raffles and other events to help pay for the trip,” added Sibley. “I am confident we can do well.”

Jamaica are 27th of the 35 countries on the RLIF’s latest Ranking List and the visit from BARLA is the next step in their bid to climb up the list.

After a patchy existence since they made their international debut in 2011, the Reggae Warriors are looking to BARLA to provide them with the sort of stiff opposition they will face in the newly-launched Americas Cup in July against Canada and the USA.

“We are looking for meaningful international calendar,” said coach Romeo Monteith.

The tourists can expect a warm welcome among island’s growing band of RL supporters.