Hartpury College’s Ollie Bloom has been called up to the GB Student Rugby League Chairman’s XIII 21-man squad for their ground-breaking tour to Ukraine this week.

The former Warriors wing has been featuring for South London Storm and the Harlequins RL Reserve grade side this summer and his performances have brought him to the selectors’ attention.

The tour is to aid the development of rugby league in fledgling league-playing nations and the squad, traditionally known as ‘the Pioneers’, will play a ‘Test’ match against the Ukraine national side in Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, on Sunday (13 July).

On their return, the Pioneers will stop off in Riga for a game against Latvia.

Bloom’s selection is particularly noteworthy as he represents a University that does not field a rugby league team in the BUSA Student rugby League competition and he has taken up the game through the Gloucestershire Warriors.