England have named their Under 18 side to face France Under 18’s in the FIRA/AER European Championship Final tomorrow.
Head Coach John Fletcher has made just one change to the side that defeated Scotland 25-12 in the semi final, with Truro College’s Matt Bolwell coming in at blindside flanker for Hartpury College’s Andrew Hughes.
Brighton School’s James Chisholm once again captains the side from number eight, Chisholm recently signed a contract with Harlequins to play professionally for them next season, he is joined in the back row by King’s Worcester’s Andrew Boyce, who has recently signed for Worcester Warriors.
The backline is unchanged from the semi, with the exiting midfield triumvirate of the Oaklands College duo of Nick Tompkins and Josh Sharp either side of Bryanston School’s Rory Jennings at inside centre.
Howard Packman of Northampton Saints and Moulton College remains at full back, Packman this week gave RFUTV an inside view of the England Under 18 camp.
The game kicks off at 5pm local time, with the 3rd/4th place play-off between Scotland and Ireland kicking off a couple of hours beforehand.
Both games will be played at Grenoble’s Stade Des Alpes stadium where a 20,000 strong crowd is expected to get fully behind their young French side.
It should be the biggest game of these young players’ careers to date, ad while a strong emphasis will be placed on victory and claiming the FIRA/AER European Championship, it is important that the players also remember to enjoy the occasion and an achievement that very few schoolboy players have the opportunity to enjoy.
England XV v France FIRA/AER European Championship Final:
15. Howard Packman (Moulton College & Northampton Saints) 14. Tom Howe (Shiplake College & London Wasps) 13. Nick Tompkins (Oaklands College & Saracens) 12. Rory Jennings (Bryanston & Bath) 11. Tom Fowlie (St Paul’s Catholic College & London Irish) 10. Josh Sharp (Oaklands College & Saracens) 9. Stuart Townsend (Ivybrigde College & Exeter Chiefs); 1. Luke Chapman (Truro College & Exeter Chiefs) 2. Jack Walker (Prince Henry’s Grammar School & Leeds Carnegie) 3. Paul Hill (Prince Henry’s Grammar School & Leeds Carnegie) 4. Jordan Onojaife (Stowe & Northampton Saints) 5. Charlie Ewels (Bryanston & Bath) 6. Matt Bolwell (Truro College & Exeter Chiefs) 7. Andrew Boyce (King’s School Worcester & Worcester Warriors) 8. James Chisholm (c) (Brighton College & Harlequins).
Replacements: 16. Sam James (Bishops Stortford High School & Saracens) 17. Neale Farthing (Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College & Leicester Tigers) 18. Lewis Boyce (Prince Henry’s Grammar School & Leeds Carnegie) 19. Charlie Hewitt (Ivybridge College & Exeter Chiefs) 20. Josh Peters (Oundle & Northampton Saints) 21. James Mitchell (Lymm High School & Sale Sharks) 22. Josh Skelcey (Moulton College & Northampton Saints) 23. Louis Clayton-Molloy (Harrow & London Wasps) 24. Andrew Hughes (Hartpury College & Sale Sharks) 25. George Perkins (Oaklands College & Saracens).
