England U18 have made nine changes to the side that beat France in midweek as they prepare to face South Africa U18 at 15.00 on Sunday.

Among those retaining their place is Leicester Tigers’ Charlie Beckett, who captains the side for the first time tomorrow. He starts his third game of tour and begins this game at blindside flanker, where he started the first game of the tour against Wales.

Beckett played at number 8 in the victory over France but shifts across this weekend as Lewis Ludlum, who played at openside against France, moves into the number 8 shirt to allow Sir Thomas Rich’s Sam Underhill to return to the openside flank.

Two others are also starting for the third time in three games. Rory Jennings starts at fly half having played there in the opening game v Wales before switching to scrum half against France. The Bryanston pivot is joined by a local school rival at half back with Will Homer of Sherborne, his half back partner against Wales, starting in the number nine shirt.

Giggleswick full back Taylor Prell also starts his third game on tour. He started at full back against Wales before switching to the right wing against France and returns again to full back for South Africa, against whom he will hope to repeat his excellent form from the European Championships.

Partnering him in the back three are Hartpury College’s Kai Little on the right wing and Stowe’s Rotimi Segun on the left, with Bryanston’s Max Clark making his second start of the tour at outside centre, where he partners Rugby’s Harry Mallinder for the second time.

Having toured South Africa every year since 2012 Head Coach John Fletcher and his assistant Pete Walton know what to expect – a big bruising encounter – but they will be hoping for better from this side having failed thus far to pick up a victory against the host nation, with Fletcher acknowledging that physical threat, saying:

“We know what to expect – they’ll be big, they’ll be strong and they’ll be direct. But we have our own game plan and we’ll be looking to take the game to them, but we’re under no illusions, it’ll be a tough game. The mood in camp is good – we’ve had a good tour and the lads have been great.”

To that end they have picked a formidable looking back, led by Beckett and his back row companions, with John Fisher’s Kieran Treadwell providing perhaps the most obvious physical threat in the second row. His partner is no slouch either, Hartpury College’s Joe Batley.

The side is also packed with leadership. While Beckett leads the side it has also been captaining with distinction by Harry Mallinder and Sam Underhill, while most recently St Ambrose College prop Ciaran Parker did a superb job against France.

That performance earns him a second start of the tour, and he is joined in the front row by loosehead Lewis Boyce from Prince Henry’s Grammar School and St Paul’s Catholic College’s Ollie Adams at hooker, both of whom started the first game of the tour.

It is without doubt an impressive collection of players in this England U18 squad, and with this being the final game at this level for many of them, they will be keen to lay down a big marker as they strive towards England U20 selection in October.

England U18 v South Africa U18, Saturday, 15.00.

England U18 v South Africa:

15 Taylor Prell (Giggleswick School & Yorkshire Carnegie)

14 Kai Little (Hartpury College)

13 Max Clark (Bryanston School & Bath Rugby)

12 Harry Mallinder (Rugby School & Northampton Saints)

11 Rotimi Segun (Stowe School & Northampton Saints)

10 Rory Jennings (Bryanston School & Bath Rugby)

9 Will Homer (Sherborne School & Bath Rugby)

1 Lewis Boyce (Prince Henry’s & Yorkshire Carnegie)

2 Ollie Adams (St Pauls Catholic College & London Irish)

3 Ciaran Parker (St Ambrose & Sale Sharks)

4 Kieran Treadwell (John Fisher & Harlequins)

5 Joe Batley (Hartpury College & Gloucester Rugby)

6 Charlie Beckett (QEW & Leicester Tigers) (c)

7 Sam Underhill (Sir Thomas Rich’s School & Gloucester Rugby)

8 Lewis Ludlam (St Joseph’s College & Northampton Saints)

Replacements: 16 James Fish (Trent College & Northampton Saints) 
17 Owen Hills (QEW & Leicester Tigers) 
18 Seb Adeniran-Olule (Wellington College & Harlequins) 
19 Joe Maksymiw (QEW & Leicester Tigers) 
20 George Nott (Kings School Chester & Sale Sharks) 
21 Joe Marchant (Peter Symonds & Harlequins) 
22 Ollie Thorley (Cheltenham College & Gloucester Rugby) 
23 John Williams (St Pauls College & London Irish) 
24 Cameron Cowell (St Pauls College & London Irish) 
25 Theo Brophy Clews (Abingdon School & London Irish)

XV v France:

15 Cameron Cowell (St Pauls College & London Irish) 
14 Taylor Prell (Giggleswick School & Yorkshire Carnegie) 
13 Joe Marchant (Peter Symonds & Harlequins) 
12 John Williams (St Pauls Catholic College and London Irish) 
11 Ollie Thorley (Cheltenham College & Gloucester Rugby) 
10 Theo Brophy Clews (Abingdon School & London Irish) 
9 Rory Jennings (Bryanston School & Bath Rugby)

1 Owen Hills (QEW & Leicester Tigers) 
2 James Fish (Trent College & Northampton Saints) 
3 Ciaran Parker (St Ambrose & Sale Sharks) (c) 
4 Kieran Treadwell (John Fisher & Harlequins) 
5 Joe Maksymiw (QEW & Leicester Tigers) 
6 George Nott (Kings School Chester & Sale Sharks) 
7 Lewis Ludlam (St Joseph’s College & Northampton Saints) 
8 Charlie Beckett (QEW & Leicester Tigers)

Replacements: 16 Ollie Adams (St Pauls Catholic College & London Irish) 
17 Lewis Boyce (Prince Henry’s & Yorkshire Carnegie) 
18 Seb Adeniran-Olule (Wellington College & Harlequins) 
19 Joe Batley (Hartpury College & Gloucester Rugby) 
20 Sam Underhill (Sir Thomas Rich’s School & Gloucester Rugby) 
21 Harry Mallinder (Rugby School & Northampton Saints)
22 Will Homer (Sherborne School & Bath Rugby)
23 Kai Little (Hartpury College)
24 Rotimi Segun (Stowe School & Northampton Saints) 
25 Max Clark (Bryanston School & Bath Rugby)

XV v Wales:

15 Taylor Prell (Giggleswick School & Yorkshire Carnegie) 14 Kai Little (Hartpury College) 13 Max Clark (Bryanston School & Bath Rugby) 12 Harry Mallinder (Rugby School & Northampton Saints) 11 Rotimi Segun (Stowe School & Northampton Saints) 10 Rory Jennings (Bryanston School & Bath Rugby) 9 Will Homer (Sherborne School & Bath Rugby)

1 Lewis Boyce (Prince Henry’s & Yorkshire Carnegie) 2 Ollie Adams (St Pauls Catholic College & London Irish) 3 Seb Adeniran-Olule (Wellington College & Harlequins) 4 Joe Maksymiw (QEW & Leicester Tigers) 5 Joe Batley (Hartpury College & Gloucester Rugby) 6 Charlie Beckett (QEW & Leicester Tigers) 7 Sam Underhill (Sir Thomas Rich’s School & Gloucester Rugby) (c) 8 Henry Cheeseman (Whitgift & Harlequins)

Replacements: 16 James Fish (Trent College & Northampton Saints) 17 Ciaran Parker (St Ambrose & Sale Sharks) 18 Owen Hills (QEW & Leicester Tigers) 19 Kieran Treadwell (John Fisher & Harlequins) 20 Lewis Ludlam (St Joseph’s College & Northampton Saints) 21 Theo Brophy Clews (Abingdon School & London Irish) 22 Joe Marchant (Peter Symonds & Harlequins) 23 Cameron Cowell (St Pauls Catholic College & London Irish) 24 John Williams (St Pauls Catholic College and London Irish)