On Sunday England and Wales will again lock horns, having already met at U18 and U20 level, when they meet at U16 level for the first time this season.
Wales won the fixture last year at Ystrad Mynach, a tense late victory, 23-22. This year the game takes place in England at Bridgewater and Albion RFC, kicking off at 2pm, with hopes high for another tight and tense encounter.
England have picked a Harlequins heavy side for the game, with five Quins players in the starting fifteen, Hampton’s Louis Lynagh, Christ’s Hospital’s Lennox Anyanwy, James Botterill of Fullbrook, St George’s Weybridge’s Sam Riley, and Wellington College’s Jack Reid, while there are a further three on the bench, Aristot Salomon of Whitgift, Cardinal Vaughan’s Sam Davies, and Tomlinscote’s Harry Dugmore.
Lynagh starts at full back, with Botterill on the wing, they are joined in the back three by Lawnswood and Yorkshire Carnegie’s Joe Carpenter on the right wing.
Anyanwu is at outside centre, joined by New Hall’s Josh Hallett at inside centre. Inside him is Sedbergh’s Will Haydon-Wood at fly half, his half back partner is St Ambrose College’s Raphael Quirke.
Alongside Riley in the front row is Woodhouse Grove’s James Whitcombe at loosehead and Bloxham’s Alfie Barbeary at hooker. Barbeary also featured for England U17 last week in their 47-26 defeat by France.
The second row sees Aylesbury Grammar School’s Alfred Mawdsley and George Martin of Rawlins Academy partner up, while joining Reid in the back row is Fin Rossiter of Pangbourne College, and Sedbergh’s Harry Hill at number 8.
Alongside the three Harlequins players on the bench are Archbishop Ilsely’s Lewis Holsey, KES Five Ways’ Corey Payne, Edgebarrow’s Sam Clough, RGS Newcastle’s Chidera Obonna, and star of Wellington College’s Colts win at Rosslyn Park, Will Sinfield.
England U16 v Wales U16 – Sunday 30th April, Bridgewater & Albion RFC (2pm kick off)
England U16
15 Louis Lynagh (Hampton/Harlequins)
14 Joe Carpenter (Lawnswood/Yorkshire Carnegie)
13 Lennox Anyanwu (Christ’s Hospital/Harlequins)
12 Josh Hallett (New Hall/Saracens)
11 James Botterill (Fullbrook/Harlequins)
10 Will Haydon-Wood (Sedbergh/Newcastle Falcons)
9 Raphael Quirke (St Ambrose College/Sale Sharks)
1 James Whitcombe (Woodhouse Grove/Leicester Tigers)
2 Alfie Barbeary (Bloxham/Wasps)
3 Sam Riley (St George’s College, Weybridge/Harlequins)
4 George Martin (Rawlins Academy/Leicester Tigers)
5 Alfred Mawdsley (Aylesbury GS/Wasps)
6 Jack Reid (Wellington College/Harlequins)
7 Fin Rossiter (Pangbourne College/London Irish)
8 Harry Hill (Sedbergh/Newcastle Falcons)
Replacements: 16 Lewis Holsey (Archbishop Ilsely/Worcester Warriors), 17 Aristot Salomon (Whitgift/Harlequins), 18 Corey Payne (KES Five Ways/Worcester Warriors), 19 Sam Davies (Cardinal Vaughan/Harlequins), 20 Harry Dugmore (Tomlinscote/Harlequins), 21 Sam Clough (Edgebarrow/London Irish), 22 Will Sinfield (London Irish/Wellington College), 23 Chidera Obonna (RGS Newcastle/Newcastle Falcons).
Wales U16
15 Sam Earl-Jones (RGC/Eirias)
14 Dafydd Thomas (Aberdare/Aberdare Community School/Blues)
13 Bradley Roderick (Resolven/Llangatwg Comp/Ospreys)
12 Aneurin Owen (NHSOB/Gwynllyw/Dragons)
11 Morgan Richards (Caldicot/Gwynllyw/Dragons)
10 Sam Costelow (Pencoed/Pencoed Comp/Ospreys)
9 David Jones (Felinfoel/Strade/Scarlets)
1 Garyn Phillips (Abercynon/Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun/Blues)
2 Aneurin James (Pontypridd/Gartholwg/Blues)
3 Tom Sly (Pencoed/Pencoed Comp/Blues)
4 Ben Carter (Caldicot/Caldicot/Dragons)
5 Owen Jones (Aberaeron/Aberaeron/Scarlets)
6 Reuben Williams (Cowbridge/Cowbridge Comp/Blues)
7 Dillon Caulfield (Resolven/Ystalyfera/Ospreys)
8 Sam Williams (Burry Port/Strade/Scarlets)
Replacements: 16 Llew Phillips Taylor (Burry Port/Strade/Scarlets), 17 Matthew Iles (Pontypridd/Gartholwg/Blues), 18 Iestyn Haskins (Ystrad Rhondda/Treorchy Comp/Blues), 19 Teddy Williams (CRICC/Plasmawr/Blues), 20 Craig Miller (Llanishen/Glantaf/Blues), 21 Dan Hiscocks (Brecon/Ystalyfera/Ospreys), 22 Ioan Evans (Pontypridd/Pontypridd High/Blues), 23 Dan O’Sullivan (Cowbridge/Brynteg/Ospreys).
