The England U16 side to face Wales on Sunday 17th April has been named.
The 14.30 kick off will be England’s only U16 international this year. The team was selected off the back of the BMW Wellington Festival, which this year was an Academy week, rather than the usual International Festival of old, which this year is taking place in Wales, but without any English participation after a shake-up of the age-grade systems in England.
The Academy week saw all 14 Junior Academies meet at Wellington College for training throughout the week, and games at the start and finish of the Festival. From that, this side was selected.
Harlequins, who have six players in the starting fifteen, and another on the bench, dominate the side. In the pack, Harrow’s Jack Glover and Cavendish’s Luke James both start on the flanks, with St John’s Leatherhead’s Jack Musk at hooker, while in the backline Wimbledon College’s Caolan Englefield starts at scrum half, with Cranleigh’s Harry Barlow at outside centre, and Brighton College’s Jon Searle on the right wing. Dan Cuthbert of City of London Freemen’s is on the bench.
Worcester Warriors are the only other side with more than one player in the starting fifteen, Old Swinford Hospital’s Oliver Larwrence partners Barlow in the centres, with Ellesmere College’s Tom Furnival starting at loosehead. Worcester also have a man on the bench, second row Tom Fawcett of Warwick.
Sale Sharks are well represented in the squad, Kirkham Grammar School’s Sam Dugale completes the back row at number 8, while they have four players on the bench, Dugale’s schoolmate Kieran Wilkinson covers the backline alond with St Amborse College due, Tom Walsh and Connor Doherty. Sedbergh’s Bevan Rodd covers hooker.
The second row sees London Irish’s Max Ayling, of Thames Mead, partner Northampton Saints’ Alex Coles, from the Perse. Northampton Saints have a second man in the squad in looshead replacement, Samson Ma’asi of Wooton Upper. The forward pack is completed by Bristol Grammar School and Bristol Rugby looshead, Will Capon, with Newcastle Falcons’ Reece Amir of Durham School covering him on the bench.
Amir’s clubmate Morgan Passman (Egglescliffe) starts on the left wing, with Wasps Will Simonds of Royal Latin School completing the back three at full back. Saracens’ sole representative is fly half Ollie Bluck, another of New Hall’s recent spate of junior internationals.
Wales U16 v England U16 – Sunday 17th April, 14.30, Caerphilly
England U16 XV:
15 Will Simonds (Wasps & Royal Latin)
14 Jon Searle (Harlequins & Brighton College)
13 Harry Barlow (Harlequins & Cranleigh)
12 Oliver Lawrence (Worcester Warriors & Old Swinford Hospital)
11 Morgan Passman (Newcastle Falcons & Egglescliffe)
10 Ollie Bluck (Saracens & New Hall)
9 Caolan Englefield (Harlequins & Wimbledon College)
1 Tom Furnival (Worcester Warriors & Ellesmere College)
2 Jack Musk (Harlequins & St John’s, Leatherhead)
3 Will Capon (Bristol & Bristol Grammar School)
4 Max Ayling (London Irish & Thames Mead)
5 Alex Coles (Northampton Saints & The Perse)
6 Jack Glover (Harlequins & Harrow)
7 Luke James (Harlequins & Cavendish)
8 Sam Dugdale (Sale Sharks & Kirkham Grammar School)
Replacements:
16 Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks & Sedbergh)
17 Samson Ma’asi (Northampton Saints & Wooton Upper)
18 Reece Amir (Newcastle Falcons & Durham)
19 Tom Fawcett (Worcester Warriors & Warwick)
20 Dan Cuthbert (Harlequins & City of London Freemen’s)
21 Tom Walsh (Sale Sharks & St Ambrose College)
22 Kieran Wilkinson (Sale Sharks (Kirkham Grammar School)
23 Connor Doherty (Sale Sharks & St Ambrose College)
