English youngsters named for U20 hat-trick pursuit

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The England squad for the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy from the 2nd to the 20th June has been named.

Head Coach Jon Callard has named Bath lock Charlie Ewels as his captain, the former Bryanston pupil has led Bath United with distinction this season and has made a number of 1st XV appearances, as well as captaining England to the U20 6 Nations title earlier in the season.

Ewels was also part of the England side that won the World Championship last year, their second in a row, and is joined by six other players from that 2014 winning side, Harlequins’ former Brighton College number 8 James Chisholm, Saracens’ Aaron Morris and Nick Tompkins, Northampton Saints’ Howard Packman, and the Yorkshire Carnegie front row duo Jack Walker and Paul Hill.

Former St Joseph’s College captain and Northampton Saints academy flanker Lewis Ludlam is set to make his U20 debut, as is Newcastle Falcons’ Will Witty and Gloucester’s former Dean Close outside half, Lloyd Evans.

Ewels is joined by two of his former Bryanston schoolmates and current Bath teammates, Rory Jennings and Max Clark.

Exeter Chiefs’ Stuart Townsend travelled with last year’s winning squad as an analyst but will travel as a full member of the squad this year. One player who will miss out though is the ex Rugby School captain Harry Mallinder, who has missed out through injury and will have a replacement named over the next few days.

Speaking at the squad announcement, Jon Callard said:

“We have a good balance of experience, with players returning from last year and the new group coming in. Charlie will captain the side after doing a fantastic job during the Six Nations.”

“For the entire squad it is a huge honour to represent their country in a world championship. Some of the players are only a year behind those who have come through and been capped at senior level this year. The likes of George Ford, Jack Nowell and Owen Farrell have all made the immediate step-up in recent years and they are now an inspiration for this group.”

“Crucial to the development of players is the partnership with the professional clubs and their respective academies and that is a vital link across all our programmes.”

 “We had a good Six Nations but we didn’t hit our full potential or perform as well as we would have liked, we had some tough games, and to come through them and win was a credit to the players.”

“I am confident now with the right preparation, and players coming back from injury, that we will get the mix we need and another 25-30 per cent out of our performances, certainly with ball in hand and in attack.”

“Of course, we have got a very tough pool to get through. In the Six Nations, we were undone by a very good Welsh team who managed the conditions better than we did. Against France, we played well – particularly in the second half – and we’ll need to do that again if we are to beat them this time around.”

“Japan will be well organised and drilled. They will bring huge energy and passion and will be loyal and committed. It is certainly going to be an exciting campaign.”

England’s campaign begins on the 2nd June against Japan before games against Wales and France on the 6th and 15th respectively.

England World Rugby U20 Championship Squad:

Seb Adeniran-Olule (Harlequins)

Joe Batley (Gloucester)

Charlie Beckett (Leicester Tigers)

James Chisholm (Harlequins)

Max Clark (Bath)

Lloyd Evans (Gloucester)

Charlie Ewels (Bath)

Ellis Genge (Bristol)

Paul Hill (Yorkshire Carnegie)  

Owen Hills (Leicester Tigers)

Jack Innard (Exeter Chiefs)

Rory Jennings (Bath)

Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints)

Joe Marchant (Harlequins)

James Mitchell (Sale Sharks)

Aaron Morris (Saracens)

Piers O’Conor (Wasps)

William Owen (Leicester Tigers)

Howard Packman (Northampton Saints)

Ciaran Parker (Sale Sharks)

George Perkins (Saracens)

Samuel Skinner (Exeter Chiefs)

Nick Tompkins (Saracens)

Stuart Townsend (Exeter Chiefs)

Kieran Treadwell (Harlequins)

Jack Walker (Yorkshire Carnegie)

Will Witty (Newcastle Falcons)

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