GIANTS duo Eorl Crabtree and Stuart Jones have been named in the England squad for rugby league's European Nations Cup - to the delight of club coach Jon Sharp.
While Sharp teams up with Brian Noble as assistant coach of Great Britain for the forthcoming Gillette Tri-Nations series (see Page 38), his two Giants players will head out to Moscow, then Avignon, for matches against Russia (on Sunday) and France (on Saturday week).
"It's great news for the two players and it's great news for the Giants," said Sharp, who since the end of the regular season has worked with fellow GB assistant coach Graham Steadman and England chief Karl Harrison with members of the two squads not involved in the Super League play-offs.
"It's a primarily young England squad with a view to grooming players for future international duty, but there could also be a call-up from the England group to the current Great Britain squad.
"It's a double incentive and these two really deserve their chance."
While 23-year-old back rower Jones, who has just signed a permanent contract after being on a season-long loan from St Helens, was an ever-present, former GB Academy prop-forward Crabtree, 22, is back to full fitness after missing the last seven matches after an operation on an ankle abscess.
"It was a nasty injury which took a long time to clear up, and it was a setback for us at what was a pivotal stage of the season," said Sharp.
"Eorl had been one of the form props in Super League up until then, and I know he was desperate to get the chance to extend his season and not let it drift away.
"He's worked very hard over the last month, and he stepped up his training a fortnight ago, so his fitness is not a worry.
"Stuart Jones has been a model of consistency for me in what has been a big season for him.
"In the past, he's been a back-up player, but for me, he's been a regular starter and stand-out performer."
