It is round 4 of the U18 Academy League this weekend, after which every side will be either at or beyond the halfway point in the league.

Currently Wasps sit top of the Northern Conference, while Gloucester are in control in the South, but that could all change over the next few rounds of the competition.

This is the last of three weekends of action in a row, before a rest week next weekend, followed by the final three rounds of the competition before finals day in late February.

Northern Conference

Leicester Tigers return from their bye week to kick off the action in the Northern Conference at midday on Saturday against Worcester Warriors at Oval Park. A win for Leicester would see them leapfrog the West Midlanders, who currently sit in second place, just three points behind Wasps and two ahead of Leicester.

Worcester are yet to name their side, but Leicester have named a really exciting side. Oakham second row Cameron Jordan will skipper the side, while his schoolmate Sam Costelow starts at fly half. In total eleven schools are represented in the Leicester 23, one of the most of any U18 Academy side playing this weekend.

Next up in the Northern Conference is Wasps v Yorkshire Carnegie, a 1pm kick off on Saturday at Rugby School, former home of new England squad member Harry Mallinder. Wasps currently sit top, with two wins and a draw from their three games, while Carnegie are in fifth, having won one and lost 1 of their two games. Interestingly, Wasps’ draw came against Newcastle Falcons, who were the side that Yorkshire Carnegie beat.

Wasps are again skippered by England hooker Alfie Barbeary, perhaps one of their most exciting selections though is that of fly half Charlie Atkinson of Abingdon, who is an U16, a stunning achievement. Yorkshire Carnegie meanwhile a skippered by Pocklington loosehead Ben Carlile. Woodhouse Grove have a highly impressive number of players in the starting side, with Joe Carpenter, Kieran Wilyman, Joe Green, Ryan Gibson, and Matt Burke all starting.

The final game in the North is third placed Newcastle Falcons’ 2pm home game at Kingston Park against last year’s finalists, Sale Sharks, who currently sit at the foot of the conference after two narrow defeats.

Newcastle keep their side fairly consistent, Cameron Kelemeti is again at scrum half, having previously started games in the centres, with Morgan Passman and Will Montgomery, who both signed senior contracts recently, despite being schoolboys, are again selected. Sale name another exciting side, with Sedbergh’s Cameron Redpath back at inside centre, and his schoolmate Tom Curtis moving from full back to fly half this week. It is an exciting back row too, in Booth, Papworth, and Dugdale, and with the likes Kirkham Grammar School star Kieran Wilkinson on the bench, you can expect a full 70 minute performance form the young Sale side.

Southern Conference

Saturday’s action in the Southern Conference kicks off at 12.15pm at Dean Close School as top of the table Gloucester host bottom of the table London Irish.

Gloucester, with 15 points from a possible 15, name another exciting side. Four of the starting fifteen are from Cheltenham College, including the captain and inside centre Tom Stanton. Free scoring Jack Curtis and Jack Reeves star in the side as the Cherry and Whites chase a fourth consecutive bonus point win.

Half an hour after that game, Bath host Harlequins at Allington Park. Harlequins currently sit in 5^th, a place ahead of Bath despite having played a game less after their bye last week. The two are level on points though, and just a point behind Exeter and Bristol in 3^rd and 4^th, so the table will see some big changes this weekend.

Bath select Orlando Bailey of Thomas Hardye School at full back, still just an U16 he was instrumental in his school’s charge to the U15 Schools Vase title last year, he is one to keep a real eye on. Canford’s Will Butt captains the side from inside centre, while Tom De Glanville of Beechen Cliff is again at fly half. De Glanville is one of an impressive number of eleven Beechen Cliff players in the 23.

The final game in the South, and in the entire league this round, is Sunday’s 1pm kick off at Sandy Park, Exeter Chiefs v Bristol. The two site level on points in 3^rd and 4^th, so Sunday is a great opportunity for each to create a bit of distance.

Exeter Chiefs are yet to name their side, but Bristol have named theirs, which is dominated by the AASE feeder, SGS Filton College. Bristol Grammar School hooker Will Capon once again captians the side, and is three representatives from his school in the first fifteen, Clifton College also have an impressive three starters in the side.

As always, if you have any videos, photos, or reports from the weekend’s U18 Academy League rugby, please feel free to send them in via Twitter (@FifteenRugbyXV), Facebook (www.facebook.com/FifteenRugby), Instagram (@fifteenrugbyxv), or through email (writers@fifteenrugby.com).

U18 Academy League Round 4 Fixtures:

Northern Conference

Leicester Tigers v Worcester Warriors – Saturday, 12pm, Oval Park

Newcastle Falcons v Sale Sharks – Saturday, 2pm, Kingston Park

Wasps v Yorkshire Carnegie – Saturday, 1pm, Rugby School

Southern Conference

Bath v Harlequins – Saturday, 12.45pm, Allington Field

Exeter Chiefs v Bristol – Sunday, 1pm, Sandy Park

Gloucester v London Irish – Saturday, 12.15pm, Dean Close School

Round 3 Results:

Northern Conference

Newcastle Falcons 41-27 Northampton Saints

Wasps 22-19 Sale Sharks

Worcester Warriors 20-19 Yorkshire Carnegie

Southern Conference

Gloucester 41-33 Exeter Chiefs

London Irish 41-50 Bath

Saracens 38-25 Bristol

Round 2 Results:

Northern Conference

Sale Sharks 6-16 Leicester Tigers

Newcastle Falcons 24-24 Wasps

Northampton Saints 20-26 Worcester Warriors

Southern Conference

Bath 10-66 Gloucester

Exeter Chiefs 48-17 London Irish

Harlequins 12-23 Saracens

Round 1 Results:

Northern Conference

Leicester Tigers 31-31 Northampton Saints

Worcester Warriors 12-55 Wasps

Yorkshire Carnegie 33-19 Newcastle Falcons

Southern Conference

Bristol 32-14 Bath

London Irish 29-43 Harlequins

Saracens 31-34 Gloucester

Team News:

Leicester Tigers

15 Freddie Steward (Norwich), 14 Zack Godfrey (Stamford), 13 Andre Dunn (Langley), 12 Ronnie Du Randt (Denstone College), 11 Luke Phoenix (Langley), 10 Sam Costelow (Oakham), 9 Will Yarnell (Loughborough GS), 1 Keston Lines (Wyggeston & QE College), 2 Jamie Harding (Denstone College), 3 James Whitcombe (Woodhouse Grove), 4 George Martin (Brooksby Melton College), 5 Cameron Jordan (Oakham) (c), 6 Xander Purcell (Wyggeston & QE College), 7 Taylor Gough (Wyggeston & QE College), 8 Henri Lavin (Wyggeston & QE College).

Replacements: 16 Shaun Allsopp (Stamford), 17 Finlay Gibson (Brooksby Melton College), 18 Alex Maxwell (Brooksby Melton College), 19 Willo Bicknell (Langley), 20 Sam Eveleigh (Leicester GS), 21 Jonny Law (Rugby), 22 Sam Wager (Wyggeston & QE College), 23 Joe Browning (Denstone College).

Worcester Warriors – TBA

Newcastle Falcons

15 Josh Hodge, 14 Morgan Passman, 13 Chidera Obonna, 12 Nathan Henderson, 11 Harry Jackson, 10 Callum Pascoe, 9 Cameron Kelemeti, 1 Will Elliott, 2 Joe Lashley, 3 Oscar Caudle, 4 Freddy Lockwood, 5 Will Montgomery, 6 Rob Farrar, 7 Eddy Anderson, 8 Tom Marshall.

Replacements: 16 Phil Brantingham, 17 Reece Amir, 18 Jamie Adamson, 19 Will Petiffer, 20 Mason Lewthwaite, 21 Theo Manihera, 22 Matthew Price, 23 Will Roberts.

Sale Sharks

15 Nathan Pope, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 James Rooney, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Raffi Quirke, 10 Tom Curtis, 9 Gus Warr, 1 Alex Brooks, 2 Ewan Ashman, 3 Cal Ford, 4 Rouban Birch, 5 Jack Hill, 6 Ciaran Booth, 7 Charlie Papworth, 8 Sam Dugdale.

Replacements: 16 Liam Davies, 17 James Harper, 18 Sam Higginson, 19 Josh Hadland, 20 Tom Walsh, 21 Evan Powell, 22 Kieran Wilkinson.

Wasps

15 Phillips, 14 Atta, 13 Anderson, 12 Spink, 11 Young, 10 Atkinson, 9 Kay (vc), 1 Nearchour, 2 Barbeary (c), 3 Roche, 4 Ademuwagun, 5 Mawdsley, 6 Calvert-Evers, 7 Tunney, 8 Jakobsen.

Replacements: 16 Mbaud, 17 Pleasants, 18 West, 19 Vickers, 20 Pill, 21 Mortimer, 22 Lowe, 23 Weatherall.

Yorkshire Carnegie

15 Joe Carpenter (Woodhouse Grove), 14 Joe Gatus (QEGS Wakefield), 13 Andre Robson (Durham), 12 Kieran Wilyman (Woodhouse Grove), 11 James MaGee (Sedbergh), 10 Tom Stephenson (QEGS Wakefield), 9 Joe Green (Woodhouse Grove), 1 Ben Carlile (Pocklington, captain), 2 Ryan Gibson (Woodhouse Grove), 3 Billy Nichols (Benton Park), 4 Adam Hopkinson (Silcoates), 5 Matt Burke (Woodhouse Grove), 6 Harry Williams (Bishop Burton College), 7 Ted Wainwright (Ripon GS), 8 Archie Smeaton (Hymers College).

Replacements: 16 Adam Brown (St Peters, York), 17 Japser McGuire (QEGS Wakefield), 18 Conner Hancock (Bishop Burton College), 19 Tor Borrowdale (Tapton), 20 Will Pritchard (St John Fisher), 21 George Wright (Rishworth), 22 Dan Lancaster (Bishop Burton College), 23 Morgan Bunting (Bishop Burton College), 24 Marcus Payne (Bishop Burton College), 25 Jack Bodman (Hill House).

Bath

15 Orlando Bailey (Thomas Hardye), 14 Ethan Hitt (Beechen Cliff), 13 Miles Gilbert (Beechen Cliff), 12 Will Butt (c) (Canford), 11 Oran McNulty (Millfield), 10 Tom de Glanville (Beechen Cliff), 9 Ben Mead (Beechen Cliff), 1 George Bamsey (Beechen Cliff), 2 Sam Elrick (Bryanston), 3 Archie Griffin (Marlborough College), 4 Chris Moore (Beechen Cliff), 5 Tom Jeanes (Beechen Cliff), 6 Ayden Chenoweth (Beechen Cliff), 7 Will Hendy (Beechen Cliff), 8 Nahum Merigan (Beechen Cliff).

Replacements: 16 Rory Murchison (Kingswood), 17 Jamie Guest (Richard Huish), 18 Si Elrick (Bryanston), 19 Tom Boxer (Bishop Wordworth’s), 20 Max Ojomoh (KES, Bath), 21 Fin French (Sherborne), 22 Harry Swinburne (Millfield), 23 George Worboys (Beechen Cliff).

Harlequins

Forwards:

S Riley (St Georges, Weybridge), J Morris (Whitgift), J Salomon (Whitgift), K Sassone (Sevenoaks), P. Green (Seaford College), H Tizard (Cranleigh), G Hammond (Whitgift), D Cuthbert (City of London Freemens), B Mott (Tonbridge), T Davison (St Johns, Leatherhead), V Everitt (Hartpury College), H Hyde (Cranleigh), J Reid (Wellington College).

Backs:

L Smith (Brighton College), T Allen (Epsom College), J Bourton (Hurstpierpoint), H Barlow (Cranleigh), L Lynagh (Hampton), J Williams (Harrodian), E Dunford (Whigift), J Botterill (Fulbrook), F Sofolarin (Dulwich College), J Bond (St John’s, Leatherhead).

Exeter Chiefs – TBA

Bristol

15 Ioan Lloyd (Clifton College), 14 Jack Bates (SGS Filton College), 13 Charlie Powell (Bristol GS), 12 Nathan Chamberlain (SGS Filton College), 11 Iwan Hughes (Bristol Academy), 10 Tom Wilstead (Colston’s), 9 Blake Boyland (SGS Filton College), 1 Charlie Brabham (SGS Filton College), 2 Will Capon (c) (Bristol GS), 3 Nick English (Bristol Academy), 4 George Brazier (Clifton College), 5 Ned Smith (Bristol GS), 6 Tom Ford (SGS Filton College), 7 Ethan Organ (Clifton College), 8 George Kloska (SGS Filton College).

Replacements: 16 Ollie Newey (Christ College), 17 Jay Burley (SGS Filton College), 18 Sean Ihegie (Cabot), 19 Max Murphy (Clifton College), 20 Jake Goodridge (Castle), 21 Ben Roach (SGS Filton College), 22 Soloman Hutchings (Clifton College), 23 Will Hines (Redland Green).

Gloucester

15 Jack Curtis, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Jack Reeves, 12 Tom Stanton (c), 11 Josh Pimlott, 10 George Barton, 9 Steve Varney, 1 Olly Adkins, 2 Morgan Nelson, 3 Alex Hunt, 4 Archie Tarbuck, 5 Jack Clement, 6 JJ Tonks, 7 Joe Howard, 8 Cam Terry.

Replacements: 16 Bertie Stretch, 17 Shay O’Malley, 18 Ethan Seville, 19 Jonny Holliday, 20 Bailey Watts, 21 Brad Morgan, 22 Tommy Matthews, 23 Isaac Marsh.

London Irish

15 Jack Jesty, 14 Oscar Blanchard, 13 Dan Stoller, 12 Reuben Knight, 11 Ben Harris, 10 Will Sinfield, 9 Sam Clough, 1 Jamie Henson, 2 Ben Atkins, 3 Brandon Baker, 4 Chunya Munga, 5 Lee Moore, 6 Gwilym Bradley, 7 Josh Smart, 8 Ben Donnell.

Replacements: 16 Edward Cockman, 17 Oisin Kearney, 18 Jack Belcher, 19 Jacob Culley-Wilson, 20 Toby Smith, 21 Gruffydd Williams, 22 Phillip Cokanasiga, 23 Alex Young.