Quins' home-grown look

Home-grown: Joe Mbu

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Harlequins' move towards a team of predominantly home-grown players has come a step closer with the promotion of two more Londoners to their Super League squad.

Will Sharp and Lamont Bryan, both products of the club's academy, join fellow Londoners Michael Worrincy, Tony Clubb, Joe Mbu and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook in Harlequins' 26-man squad ahead of the new season.

Harlequins coach Brian McDermott said: "I believe it's important to start building our core of home-grown youngsters now.

"We can't wait for a couple of years until it becomes compulsory to have a certain number of Londoners in our team. I want a squad of predominantly London boys playing Super League in London for Harlequins."

Purdham re-appointed

Nevertheless, the club have, by and large, opted for continuity by retaining 20 players from last year's squad, with Rob Purdham re-appointed as captain.

New Harlequins chief executive Paul Brown said: "I think it's a well-constructed squad that matches the club's ongoing strategies - one that's continuing, like the club, to represent London.

"I think it's very impressive that we now have so many Londoners in the squad and that's a combination of the local London amateur rugby league scene and the commitment of the RFL, Harlequins and previously London Broncos, going back quite a few years.

"Our player performance manager Phil Jones probably knows every kid in London and Brian McDermott and his academy coach Rob Powell are very committed to the development of players and coaches from the region."

The four other new faces in Harlequins' squad are signings Danny Ward (Hull KR), Dwayne Barker (Castleford), David Howell (Canberra) and Gareth Haggerty (Salford).