Workington Town have signed former Great Britain amateur starlet Elliott Miller.

The 19-year-old has been playing for Hull FC’s Under-20’s side after catching the eye playing for Millom and the Great Britain squad.

Miller, who can operate at wing, centre or full-back stands by to make his debut on Sunday in the Co-operative Championship One game at home to London Skolars (2pm).

Mike Backhouse, a regular on the wing for Town this season, is struggling with a hamstring injury so joint coaches Gary Charlton and Martin Oglanby are ready to blood young Miller.

Charlton said: “We know him through the Cumbria squad where he played for the Under-19’s. We would have played him in the open age but he was used in his own age group.

“I honestly think we’ve signed a gem here, a young player with a lot of potential and I think he’ll do very well for us.

“He has been getting valuable experience at Hull with their Under-20’s but there was no deal down there so he’s happy to come back home and give it a try at Workington. I’m hoping the club can tie him up for next season too.”

Miller was in try-scoring form when the Great Britain Community Lions side toured Australia last year.

The blisteringly-quick centre crossed the white wash three times in the five games that he featured in while in Australia.

Former Barrow Raiders and Whitehaven Academy starlet Miller was part of the Great Britain under-18s side that traveled nearly 6,000km and took in four states in the mammoth tour.

The side won their first three warm-up games on the bounce, before coming unstuck against the Australian Schoolboys team in two international Test matches.

Miller started the first game of the tour in his side’s 18-12 win over Northern Territories in Darwin, but injury forced him to miss the second tour game, where GB triumphed 36-14 over Western Australia in Perth.

The Woollybacks star then made a scoring return to the team, touching down in the 20th minute of the game in GB’s 48-6 win over South Australia State in Adelaide.

Unfortunately for Miller and his Great Britain team-mates, that is where the winning ended.

The Millomite was part of the side who were on the end of a 66-0 thrashing at the hands of the Aussie Schoolboys in the nation's capital, Canberra.

The Community Lions side battled back hard in their next game, narrowly losing out to New South Wales Combined High Schools 26-24.

Miller scored the first try of the game and must have impressed watching scouts as he was the subject of an offer to play for Sydney side Parramatta Eels for a year.

The final game of the tour proved the highlight of the trip for Miller, scoring a try in what one report called a “valiant effort”, as Great Britain went down 60-18 in the second Test match against the Aussie Schoolboys.

Reflecting on the trip, the 18-year-old said: “It was class. It was a really proud moment to score the tries for my country.”

After his return home Super League giants Hull FC contactacted the BAE apprentice and he had a successful trial with the club leading to this eason's appearances with th Under-20's.

Town will face a London Skolars side buoyed by a rare win on Sunday when they snatched a dramatic 28-26 victory over Rochdale.

In a topsy turvy game Skolars cruised 18-0 ahead after 37 minutes but with one minute to go Hornets led 26-22.

But then Skolars' Sam Gee scored under sticks and the conversion gave them their first home win since July 2008 and it was their first win since May 2009 (away at Workington).

Prop Lee Dutton will be fit to face the Skolars on Sunday but injuries to Ryan Campbell and John Lebbon have not haled sufficiently for them to be in contention.

Meanwhile two South Wales Scorpions players were each banned for two matches for the role they played in a dangerous throw in the Co-operative Championship One fixture at Workington on June 26.

Liam Roach and Loz Wildbore were also fined £50 each after admitting the Grade B offence which took place in the 77th minute.
 

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