The Independent School Lambs RFC U18s have named their team for their first full fixture of the season.
They face Irish Exiles U18 on Sunday at Moseley RFC, kicking off at 14.00, the first of a series of tough fixtures before they be part for their tour of Argentina at the end of March.
The game comes just a week after the 36-man National Squad was named following the final trial stage of the Lambs season, the Northern XV v Southern XV, so the squad has had to be whittled down to 23 quickly as management look to give every player plenty of game time ahead of the tour.
Giggleswick loosehead Nick Atkinson is given the honour of captaining the side for their first game of the season. He is joined in the front row by RGS Newcastle tighthead Ben Parker and Queen Ethelburga’s College’s Jack Starkey at hooker.
In the second row Mount Kelly’s Alec Hampden-Smith and Trinity’s Reece McCarthy will pair up, while in the back row St Peter’s Sam Hudson is at number 8, with Churcher’s College’s Samuel Bloomer at openside and Henry Wills of Stamford on the blindside flank.
Wills is one of two Stamford representatives in the squad, with Callum Corbett among the backs subs for the game.
In the back division Yarm’s Charles Guthrie will direct things at scrum half, with Felsted’s George Hitchcock running the show from fly half.
The centre combination sees Pangbourne College’s Will Vaughan and Durham’s Jacob Weightman team up. Vaughan’s Pangoburne College teammate, James Costin-Pratt, is among the backs replacements.
Truro’s Daniel Bubble takes up residence on the left wing, with Bradford Gramamr School’s Harry Sagar on the right, meanwhile Berkhamsted’s Will Hughes marshals proceedings from full back.
Joining Costin-Pratt and Corbett on the bench are Canford’s Charlie Bannister, Wisbech Grammar’s Oliver Short, Daniel Ali of Cheltenham College, Ashville College’s Harry Johnson, Bloxham’s George Cassell, and Mason Knowles, one of four Woodhouse Grove pupils in the wider 36-man squad.
With the trial stage over, and selection no longer an issue, the Lambs are going to be an even more exciting prospect to watch this weekend as they commit even further to their exhilarating ‘fast and free’ style of play – it’s not to be missed!
| ISRFC Lambs U18 to face Irish Exiles U18 | ||
| Pos | Name | School |
| 1 | Nick Atkinson (c) | Giggleswick School |
| 2 | Jack Starkey | Queen Ethelburga’s College |
| 3 | Ben Parker | RGS Newcastle |
| 4 | Alec Hampden-Smith | Mount Kelly |
| 5 | Reece McCarthy | Trinity School |
| 6 | Henry Wills | Stamford School |
| 7 | Samuel Bloomer | Churcher’s College |
| 8 | Sam Hudson | St Peter’s School, York |
| 9 | Charles Guthrie | Yarm School |
| 10 | George Hitchcock | Felsted |
| 11 | Daniel Hubble | Truro |
| 12 | Will Vaughan | Pangbourne College |
| 13 | Jacob Weightman | Durham School |
| 14 | Harry Sagar | Bradford Grammar School |
| 15 | Will Hughes | Berkhamsted School |
| Replacements | ||
| 16 | Charlie Bannister | Canford |
| 17 | Oliver Short | Wisbech Grammar School |
| 18 | Daniel Ali | Cheltenham College |
| 19 | Harry Johnson | Ashville College |
| 20 | George Cassell | Bloxham School |
| 21 | James Costin-Pratt | Pangbourne College |
| 22 | Callum Corbett | Stamford School |
| 23 | Mason Knowles | Woodhouse Grove School |
Irish Exiles U18:
15 Conor Wharton 14 Adam Williamson 13 Joshua Hart 12 Yannick Marriot 11 Johnny Saville 10 Ciaran Poynter 9 Alex Crocker 1 Fergus O’Brien 2 Jamie McConnell 3 Ryan Bodkin 4 Lewis Saliba 5 Rory Sloan 6 Chris McCann 7 Jonjo Fanning 8 Grayson Maguire.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Woodward 17 Rory Cinnamond 18 Liam Kirkpatrick 19 Dan Edgar 20 Bryn McCall 21 Aodhan Walsh 23 Liam Wharton.