FIVE Furness Raiders players have taken a step closer to representing England after being invited onto the Colleges Rugby League National Performance Programme.

Jake Carter, Tyler Lancaster, Danny Wright, Jake Stockdale and Matty Brown have all earned places on the programme on the strength of their performances for the Raiders in the College Rugby League Premier Division during the 2016/17 season.

The quintet will join the North group at Runshaw College, Leyland, for several full-day training sessions throughout the year, followed by an Origin match against the South group.

The final squad for the England Colleges representative team will be chosen from the players who impress the most in that match.

Furness' players will all feel they have a strong chance of making the final cut, with stand-off Carter and loose forward Wright already playing first-team rugby for Barrow Island at the age of 18.

Both have represented Cumbria at under-17s and under-19s level too, while Carter was formerly with the Warrington Wolves Academy and Wright has been in the England Young Lions training squad.

Stockdale has featured at full-back for Island at open-age level, along with playing for the Cumbria under-19s.

Meanwhile, centre Lancaster helped Island A to the Barrow and District League title this year and was formerly part of the Wolves' youth set-up as well.

At 17, Brown is the youngest member of the squad and made his breakthrough into the senior team at Island this year before an ankle injury curtailed his season.

The back row has represented the county too and is a former Cumbria Storm player.