FIVE amateur aces are ready to join the illustrious ranks of South Cumbrian rugby league players to represent BARLA on tour.

Lee Postlethwaite, Ethan Kelly, Sam Jones, Mark Tyson and Tom Hopkins are all raring to go, having been picked to represent the Great Britain side in Fiji in November.

Tyson is looking forward to following up on his previous experience on tour, and said: “I've toured with the team back in 2015 in South Africa and it was great.

“If Fiji is anything like that, then it will be brilliant.

“It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to play for them, and I feel lucky to have been selected this year.”

The quintet are just the latest in a long line to be picked from the area for top amateur international honours, with a quartet of youngsters also selected to represent Scotland sides this year.

Charlie Emslie, from Millom, and Elliott Campbell, of Barrow Island, will be part of the Scotland Under-18s Academy tour of Serbia, while Island's Jonny Hutton is in the Scotland Students team.

Postlethwaite, Kelly, Jones, Tyson and Hopkins are all raring to go on their tour, as they become the latest in a long line of Barrow and District players to go on tour with BARLA, with a two-Test series awaiting them.

Postlethwaite and Kelly play for Millom in the National Conference Division Three, with Jones turning out for Barrow Island in the same division, and Tyson and Hopkins for Askam one level higher.

Postlethwaite recently went close to the Millom record for most points in a match, while Jones bagged a hat-trick in 18 minutes against Salford City Roosters to show they are in form.

“It was a nice surprise to be asked to play,” said Postlethwaite. “It's great I can follow in my granddad’s (Lenny Middleton) footsteps.”

Jones added: “It's a massive honour to be selected from a club where I've been playing since I was nine.”

Tyson and Hopkins have been consistent throughout the season for Askam, both scoring tries in a bid to help their team climb the table.

Away from the BARLA squad, Emslie and Kelly have been doing hard yards up the middle and Campbell and Hutton have been featuring for Furness Raiders.

Whatever happens on any of the tours, the eight men have the opportunity to help raise the profile of the amateur game in South Cumbria once again.