BEN Cooper has become the second King s School Ely student to be called up for the under-15 Eastern Counties rugby squad. Cooper captained the successful King s under-15 side, which reached the fourth round of the National Schools Cup, has represented She

BEN Cooper has become the second King's School Ely student to be called up for the under-15 Eastern Counties rugby squad.

Cooper captained the successful King's under-15 side, which reached the fourth round of the National Schools Cup, has represented Shelford and captained Cambridgeshire under-15s as a prop-forward.

King's rugby coach Kevin Shaw said: "Ben will take to the Eastern Counties side a determination to succeed, an infectious enthusiasm for the game and a real physical presence of strength and power that has proved so crucial to the success of our under-15 school side.

"He has worked incredibly hard to improve his fitness over the past few months and follows a daily fitness and diet regime.

"He thoroughly deserves his success and I am sure if he continues to develop, this will be the first of many successes."

Cooper, who lives in Red Lodge, said: "I'm really pleased to be selected and will do everything I can to make the most of the Eastern Counties coaches' confidence in me."

He joins classmate Jack Lines, who was selected for the squad earlier in the season to play as a fly-half or centre.

Mr Shaw said: "Jack is blessed with real pace and power and has proved himself to be a most impressive player on the schools circuit this year."

Cooper, Lines and the other elite group of under-15 players from Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk will stay together for two years and have the opportunity to get into the London Division side and England trials next year.