Malta coach Anthony Micallef has named his team for tomorrow’s European Bowl international against Norway at Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun.

Micallef named 12 domestic championship players in his 17, including St Paul’s Bay lock-forward Daniel Grima as captain.

23-year-old Ghajnsielem back-rower Clifford Debattista will become the first Gozitan rugby league product to represent Malta at national team level.

Micallef said the Malta team was looking extremely good after training last night at St Aloysius College where they shared a full pitch with recently crowned Maltese football champions Birkirkara FC.

“The boys all looked very good together at Birkirkara last night. The combination and know-how of one another of the Australian, British and Maltese based Maltese players is very impressive I feel and this bond is visible across the park. That will be a key to our squad taking what they've learnt on the training paddock to the field on game day” said Micallef.

Malta will take its entire squad to Hamrun tomorrow evening, also naming 18th, 19th and 20th men.

Norway will train at St Clare College at Pembroke today before coach and ex-Skolars back-rower Warren Heilig is expected to finalise his team ahead of their final warm up on Friday morning at Tal Handaq Boys Secondary School, Qormi tomorrow morning. The Norwegians arrived in Malta yesterday evening.

Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) match commissioner Jovan Vujosevic from Serbia is in Malta for the 2010 European Bowl.

Malta Knights

Images:

1/ Malta vice-captain Chris Parker (right) delivers instructions to the squad at training, captain Daniel Grima on left.

2/ The Malta squad training yesterday evening at St Aloysius College, Birkirkara.