The England U20 side to face Scotland in Round 4 of the 2017 U20 RBS 6 Nations at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday (6.15pm kick off) has been named.
England have made seven changes to their starting line up for the game, which will be shown live on Sky Sports 1.
Saracens’ Max Malins, formerly of Felsted, returns to the side at fly half after missing the last two rounds due to his Saracens commitments.
He is joined by returning Gloucester and Hartpury College scrum half, Harry Randall, while outside him another man returns to the team after missing last week, Worcester Warriors’ Will Butler.
Joining Butler in the centres was Saracens’ Dom Morris, whose brother Oli is involved in the England U18 set up, however a late injury to Sam Aspland-Robinson means Morris moves to the wing in place of him, with Yorkshire Carnegie’s Max Wright coming into the centres. Eleswhere in the back three Aspland-Robinson’s former Wellington College teammate, Tom Parton of London Irish, retains his place, wit his London Irish teammate Joe Cokanasiga returning on the right wing.
Up front ex Berkhamsted man Jack Nay starts at blindside having had to pull out of the last game with an injury, former Oundle star Ben Curry keeps his place at openside and Bath’s former Merchiston Castle star Zach Mercer again skippers the side from number 8.
In the engine room Exeter Chiefs’ Josh Caulfield keeps his place, while Sedbergh old boy Max Davies comes in for his first start. In the front row Sale Sharks’ Curtis Langdon returns at hooker, with Ollie Dawe and Ciaran Knight retaining their places as props.
The bench is once again highly interesting, with two U18 players selected, despite the fact that England U18 also have an international this weekend. Exeter College’s Marcus Street will cover tighthead, with Worcester 6th form College’s Ted Hill covering the second row, both players started for England U18 last week.
The bench also has room for Jamie Blamire and Ralph-Adams Hale in the front row, while former Millfield captain Josh Bayliss covers the back row. Former Lymm High School scrum half Alex Mitchell is on the bench, so too London Irish fly half Theo Trophy-Clews, who is available for the first time in this campaign. Wasps’ Jacob Umaga is a late replacement on the bench after Max Wright’s promotion after Aspland-Robinson’s injury.
Speaking to England Rugby, England U20 coach Ian Vass said:
“It is credit to the environment and the pool of players that selection is so competitive, we work hard on improving each week and there is a positive mind-set in camp so hopefully we can produce another good performance. Scotland have shown so far in the competition they are dangerous on the attack and they will come at us hard, but we just need to focus on how we perform.”
England U20 v Scotland U20 – Saturday 11th March, 6.15pm kick off, Franklin’s Gardens, Live on Sky Sports 1
England U20 XV:
15 Tom Parton (London Irish), 14 Joe Cokanasiga (London Irish), 13 Max Wright (Yorkshire Carnegie)), 12 Will Butler (Worcester Warriors), 11 Dominic Morris (Saracens), 10 Max Malins (Saracens), 9 Harry Randall (Gloucester), 1 Ollie Dawe (Bristol), 2 Curtis Langdon (Sale Sharks), 3 Ciaran Knight (Gloucester), 4 Josh Caulfield (Exeter Chiefs), 5 Max Davies (Newcastle Falcons), 6 Jack Nay (Saracens), 7.Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), 8. Zach Mercer (Bath, captain).
Replacements: 16 Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons), 17 Ralph Adams-Hale (Saracens), 18 Marcus Street (Exeter Chiefs), 19 Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors), 20.Josh Bayliss (Bath), 21 Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), 22 Theo Brophy Clews (London Irish), 23 Jacob Umaga (Wasps).
