Jon Callard has named his England U20 side to face Italy on Friday at 18.10.
The evening kick off can be viewed live on www.englandrugby.com as the young stars of the future look to bounce back after a tough defeat to Scotland last week, 24-6, the first time England have ever lost to Scotland at this level.
The squad includes seven debutants, with six changes to the starting line up against Scotland. Former Felsted fly half Max Malins of Saracens comes in at full back to make his debut, with Gloucester’s Mat Protheroe moving up from the fifteen shirt into the fly half role.
Worcester Warriors’ former Old Swinford Hospital star, Sam Smith, makes his debut at openside, with Sale Sharks’ George Nott making his first appearance too, in the second row.
On the bench, Ralph Adams-Hale, Curtis Langdon, and Jack Willis could all make their debuts.
Captain and hooker Jack Walker is out injured, that means that Worcester’s Jack Singleton starts at hooker, with the captaincy passing to Newcastle Falcons’ Callum Chick at number 8, who skippered the U18 side last year.
The only other change to the starting side sees Bath’s former Merchiston Castle back rower, Zach Mercer, start at blindside in place of Harlequins’ Archie White.
Speaking ahead of the game, Head Coach Jon Callard had plenty of positives to speak of, despite last week’s defeat:
“The opening loss is in the past and now we have to look forward at ways to improve our performance, we had 64% possession and the positive is that we had clear chances. We want the players to take confidence from that and this week one of our key aims is to be clinical enough to take points from those plays.”
England U20 v Italy U20 – Live www.englandrugby.com – Friday, 18.10
England U20 XV
15 Max Malins (Saracens)
14 George Perkins (Saracens)
13 Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
12 Charlie Thacker (Leicester Tigers)
11 Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby)
10 Mathew Protheroe (Gloucester Rugby)
9 Max Green (Yorkshire Carnegie)
1 Tom West (Wasps)
2 Jack Singleton (Worcester Warriors)
3 Will Stuart (Wasps)
4 Huw Taylor (Worcester Warriors)
5 George Nott (Sale Sharks)
6 Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby)
7 Sam Smith (Worcester Warriors)
8 Callum Chick (Newcastle Falcons) ©
Replacements
16 Curtis Langdon (London Irish)
17 Ralph Adams-Hale (Saracens)
18 Billy Keast (Exeter Chiefs)
19 Stan South (Harlequins)
20 Jack Willis (Wasps)
21 Jamie Shillcock (Worcester Warriors)
22 Joe Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
23 Paolo Odogwu (Leicester Tigers)
