This weekend is the final weekend of league action in the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League, with the final jostling for positions ahead of finals day next weekend.

With the 14 teams split into two conferences in this opening league phase, they meet their counterparts from the opposing conference at finals day, meaning that Top of the North Pool will play Top in the South Pool for the chance to be crowned 2022 Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League Champions.

Both conferences remain in play at the top, Sale Sharks head the North Pool by a single point, but they have a bye week this week and therefore will not top the table – that accolade is going to go to the winner of the Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons game, with Saints two points adrift of Sale and Newcastle one shy.

In the South Pool Bristol Bears top the pool by two points from Saracens, and are the only unbeaten side of the 14. They are hosting Exeter Chiefs, who have just one win to their name so far. Bristol then have the advantage, but any slip up and the door opens for one of Saracens or Harlequins to leapfrog them. Saracens are hosting Quins, and the home side are just two points adrift of Bristol, with Quins a further two behind.

Tables

North Pool

South Pool

Images thanks to NickBImages (@nickbimages)

Round 7 Fixtures, Previews, & Team News:

North (Sale Sharks Bye Week)

Leicester Tigers v Wasps – Saturday 12^th Feb 5pm, Welford Road

The winner of this game is likely to break into the Top 3 in the North Pool, given that Newcastle and Northampton above them are facing one another. Tigers have made a few changes for this game from the side that defeated Worcester Warriors in a thriller last week. At full back Oakham’s Ben Taylor comes in, while on the right wing it is a first start for Malelili Satala of Brooksby Melton College, Denstone College’s Alex Garrett is on the bench. The rest of the backline is unchanged, but up front Brooksby Melton College’s Tom Wand is promoted from the bench to the loosehead berth, while Northampton School for Boys’ Joshua Manz moves from the openside flank to the second row, with George Perkins coming in on the flank, meanwhile Simon Koroiyadi and Chester Owen swap positions in the back row from last week. On the bench there are potential first apearances for Harry Clarke, Ross Foxley, Felix Starkey, and Nicholas Gali, while Oakham’s Oliver Crane returns for the first time since Round 3.

Wasps meanwhile have kept a very consistent side from the one that ended Sale Sharks’ table-topping hopes last week. The only change to the starting fifteen is the promotion of Clifford from the bench to the start at lock, McDermott is sadly out. The bench sees a few changes, Pittam returns for a first appearance since Round 2, and it’s a first appearance since round 3 for Farmer and since Round 5 for Sweeting, while Gerber is in line for a first appearance as his side chase a second or third place finish.

Leicester Tigers

15 Ben Taylor (Oakham), 14 Malelili Satala (Brooksby Melton College), 13 George Loose (Gresham’s), 12 Joseph Woodward (Brooksby Melton College, captain), 11 Sam Jacques (Brooksby Melton College), 10 Morgan Meredith (Brooksby Melton College), 9 Matt Durbridge (Brooksby Melton College), 1 Tom Wand (Brooksby Melton College), 2 Max Nolan (Brooksby Melton College), 3 Nathan Hind (Brooksby Melton College), 4 Finn Carnduff (Leicester Grammar), 5 Joshua Manz (Northampton School for Boys), 6 Simon Koroiyadi (Trent College), 7 George Perkins (Denstone College), 8 Chester Owen (Brooksby Melton College).

Replacements: 16 Harry Clarke (Denstone College), 17 Ross Foxley (Brooksby Melton College), 18 Oliver Crane (Oakham), 19 Felix Starkey (Oakham), 20 Oliver Arnold (Uppingham), 21 Nicholas Gali (Denstone College), 22 Oscar van Deventer (Denstone College), 23 Alex Garrett (Denstone College).

Wasps

15 B Kucera, 14 E Rokodrava, 13 W Evans, 12 J Annand, 11 W Glister, 10 C Mason, 9 M Winterburn, 1 A O’Driscoll, 2 H Silman, 3 A Opoku-Fordjour, 4 C Bell, 5 T Clifford, 6 R Logan, 7 Z Newcombe, 8 B Pogson.

Replacements: 16 K Pittam, 17 O Blunsom-Washbrook, 18 J Farmer, 19 L McGowan, 20 C Gerber, 21 L Casilio, 22 R Sweeting, 23 D Barnett.

Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons – Saturday 12^th Feb, 2pm, Franklin’s Gardens

The game of the weekend, the winner of this one will be going to the 2022 Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League final. Saints had a bye week last week, so their last performance was an absolutely thrilling victory against Wasps back in Round 5. They have, unsurprisingly, not made too many changes from that side. Harry Hall is promoted from the bench to start at scrum half, with Archie McParland coming in on the bench. Meanwhile up front Callum Smyth returns at loosehead after missing the game against Wasps. Carn Richards-Farr returns to the second row for the first time since Round 3, while on the bench Toby Thame and Ewan Baker return after missing the game against Wasps, with Will Baker back having not featured since round 3.

Last week Newcastle Falcons’ 24-14 defeat of Yorkshire Academy made it three victories on the spin for them and, like Saints, they have unsurprisingly changed little from that last outing. In the backline Jake Metcalfe is out so QEHS Hexham’s Toby Ferguson comes in for a first start on the left wing. Up front the big news is that the skipper, Luke Coulston, is out, which means a return to the starting lineup for Sedbergh’s Finn Baker. On the bench Barnard Castle’s Jacob Oliver returns after missing the past two games, while Gosforth Academy’s Will Murray and Sedbergh’s Tom Burton both return after missing the game against Yorkshire.

Northampton Saints

15 Jody Devine, 14 Ethan Thorne, 13 Toby Cousins, 12 Archie Kean, 11 Frankie Sleightholme, 10 Tommy Taylor, 9 Harry Hall, 1 Callum Smyth, 2 Craig Wright, 3 Nicholas Tarr, 4 Carn Richards-Farr, 5 George Lavender, 6 Ted Reid, 7 Henry Pollock, 8 George Patten (c).

Replacements: 16 Will Baker, 17 Sam Ferrari, 18 Will Lamprell, 19 James Bennett, 20 Levi Wilson, 21 Archie McParland, 22 Toby Thame, 23 Ewan Baker.

Newcastle Falcons

15 Ben Redshaw (Sedbergh), 14 Natty Greenwood (Gosforth Academy), 13 Jez Civil (Gosforth Academy), 12 Will Hindle (Gosforth Academy), 11 Toby Ferguson (QEHS Hexham), 10 Harry Williams (Barnard Castle), 9 Ben Douglas (Gosforth Academy), 1 Micky Rewcastle (Gosforth Academy), 2 Charlie Smith (Dame Allan’s), 3 Morgan Hall (Gosforth Academy), 4 Finn Baker (Sedbergh), 5 Ayden Knott (Gosforth Academy), 6 Braemar Murray (Sedbergh), 7 Ewan Venerus (RGS Newcastle), 8 Zach Oldham (Gosforth Academy).

Replacements: 16 Jacob Oliver (Barnard Castle), 17 Isaac Keller (Gosforth Academy), 18 Sam Birkbeck (QES Kirkby Lonsdale), 19 Will Murray (Gosforth Academy), 20 Will Gibbons (Barnard Castle), 21 Freddie Nickalls (RGS Newcastle), 22 Will Roue (Sedbergh), 23 Tom Burton (Sedbergh).

Yorkshire Academy v Worcester Warriors – Saturday 12^th Feb, 2pm, Doncaster Knights

It has been a tough old run so far for Yorkshire Academy, who are yet to register a victory in this campaign. They have had some strong performances though, including last week against Newcastle Falcons and they will be going all guns blazing for victory in this final game against the side above them in the table. They have made three personnel changes to the side that missed out against Newcastle, with Yates returning to the starting side for the first time since round 4, he starts on the left wing in the absence of McCormack. Up front the big news is the return of du Boulay in the back row. He comes in at blindside, which means a switch to the openside for Billington. Ahead of those two is Mathew in the second row, starting for the first time since Round 2. On the bench Talakai returns after missing last week’s game, while there are potential first appearances for Roscoe and Delailmolamoa.

Worcester Warriors missed out in a real thriller at home against Leicester Tigers last week, it was a double header with the U17s also playing. From that U17 performance, Old Swinford Hospital’s Max Truby has been rewarded with an U18 start, such was the impression he made. He starts at number 8, meaning a move from there to the openside flanker for the skipper, Monmouth’s Theo Mayell. Elsewhere Loic Keasey of RGS Worcester and Ethan Allen of Stourport High continue to swap the starting hooker shirt, this week it is Keasey that gets the start. In the backline there is just one change as Solihull’s Jack Kinder returns to the starting lineup having missed last week’s thriller, he is on the right wing, having previously played at centre. On the bench Billy Emerick returns for the first time since Round 3, while Emmanuel Olaleye of Old Swinford Hospital could make his first appearance.

Yorkshire Academy

15 B Turpin, 14 G Worthington, 13 B Horberry, 12 J Howells, 11 F Yates, 10 B Irvine, 9 J Harris (c), 1 A Medway, 2 L Inman, 3 P Parker, 4 T Burrow, 5 H Mathew, 6 H du Boulay, 7 J Billington, 8 H Willard.

Replacements: 16 J Briggs, 17 H Derbyshire, 18 T Raymont, 19 B Roscoe, 20 E Smith, 21 B Parkin, 22 D Talakai, 23 N Delailmolamoa.

Worcester Warriors

15 Dan Chambers (Stourport High), 14 Jack Kinder (Solihull), 13 Will Pugh (Stourport High), 12 Archie Jones (Stourport High), 11 Alex Wills (Hartpury College), 10 Jack Condliffe (Stourport High), 9 Alex Terry (King’s Worcester), 1 Lewys Walsh (Hartpury College), 2 Loic Keasey (RGS Worcester), 3 Aaron Hackett (Stourport High), 4 Will Chater (King’s Worcester), 5 Harvey Cuckson (Ellesmere College), 6 Will Owen (Ellesmere College), 7 Theo Mayell (Monmouth, captain), 8 Max Truby (Old Swinford Hospital).

Replacements: 16 Ethan Allen (Stourport High), 17 Ellis Locke (Stourport High), 18 Emmanuel Olaleye (Old Swinford Hospital), 19 George Boyle (King’s Worcester), 20 Owen Boxall (Bishop Vesey’s Grammar), 21 Sam Hawes (King’s Worcester), 22 Billy McDonough (Bromsgrove), 23 Oli Smith (Hartpury College), 24 Billy Emerick (Stourport High), 25 Jacob Clarke (Bishop Vesey’s Grammar).

South (London Irish Bye Week)

Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday 12^th Feb, 1pm, Dings Crusaders

The equation is pretty simple for Bristol Bears, win and they are in the final. They have been utterly relentless this season, unbeaten across the five games – including last week when they went up against Harlequins, who were the only other unbeaten side, and won by an impressive 20-7 margin. Unsurprisingly there are therefore very few changes to that team, just one in the backs and one in the forwards as Henry Hawkins gets the nod at 12, he is promoted from the bench with Lucas Berti going the other way. It’s a similar story at loosehead, with Billy Marsden coming in for his first start at loosehead, having previously been on the bench, Louis Trevett goes the other way.

Charged with stopping the Bristol juggernaut are Exeter Chiefs, who are looking for a second victory of the season. Last week they came up against an inspired London Irish side, and they have shaken things up a little ahead of this massive game. Dan Hamilton-Strong moves from the wing to full back, with Reuben Brinkley promoted from the bench to the wing, meanwhile Ben Coen comes in for a first start too, he will be at fly half. Up front Jack Ballett is promoted from the bench to start at hooker, while Jake Salvi comes in at lock for his first start of the campaign. In the back row Jago Sheppard returns to the starting lineup for the first time since Round 3, while for Jeremey Tuima it is a first appearance on the bench since starting in round 1.

Bristol Bears

15 Sami Hamid, 14 Gabe Lacey, 13 Isaac Campbell Wu, 12 Henry Hawkins, 11 Tom Ormsby, 10 Sam Worsley, 9 Pete Carter, 1 Billy Marsden, 2 James Randall, 3 Jimmy Halliwell, 4 Ollie Thraves, 5 Paddy Pearce, 6 Aaron Tull (c), 7 Charlie Cox, 8 Ed Harvey.

Replacements: 16 George Davey, 17 Louis Trevett, 18 Billy Moran, 19 Pete Paramore, 20 Tom Gardner, 21 Rhys Price, 22 Lucas Berti, 23 Jake Smith.

Exeter Chiefs

15 Dan Hamilton-Strong, 14 Jack Statton, 13 Zack Wimbush, 12 George Edson, 11 Reuben Brinkley, 10 Ben Coen, 9 Joe Walker, 1 Joe Thompson, 2 Jack Ballett, 3 Archie Rolls, 4 Jake Salvi, 5 Joe Bailey (c), 6 Jago Sheppard, 7 Seth Findley, 8 Barnaby Elderkin.

Replacements: 16 Pete Harris, 17 Rowan Lawrence, 18 Tom Gulley, 19 Ed Spurway, 20 Will Saltmarsh, 21 Nat Dart, 22 Jeremy Tuima, 23 Jayden Oakes.

Gloucester v Bath – Saturday 12^th Feb, 2pm, Kingsholm

It’s a final chance for Gloucester to get their first victory of the season, but it’s going to be a huge game in which to do so as they host West Country rivals Bath. Gloucester’s last outing was a tough home defeat to Saracens, but playing at Kingsholm should provide plenty of inspiration this week, especially against their rivals. From the side that lost out to Saracens, Gloucester have swapped Ioan Jones and Will Gilderson, Dean Close’s Jones moves from centre to full back with Gilderson going the other way. Meanwhile there is a first start for Hartpury College’s Archie Hossack on the left wing and a first for his schoolmate Bailey Paetel at scrum half after making a first appearance from the bench last week. Up front Hartpury’s Berian Williams is promoted from the bench to loosehead, while it’s a mass of changes behind him. Schoolmate Sam Vince and Cleeve’s Sam Anson both move from the back row to the second row, with Hartpury College due Casey Williams and Finlay Jones joining the back row, it’s s first appearance for Williams since Round 3 and a fist of any sort for Finlay Jones. On the bench Dave Samak returns after missing the previous game.

Bath had a bye week last week and this week their teamsheet has been chopping and changing constantly due to injuries and covid, etc. Their last game was Round 5 in a tight defeat to Harlequins and as a result of the week’s pull-outs, the team is vastly different to the one selected for that game. James Redman is out, which means a move from the wing to full back for Marlborough College’s Byron Lloyd-Gilmour, which in turn gives Millfield’s Kamoto Kamanga-Dyrbak a start on the right wing, having been on the bench in previous games. Rory Crum is promoted from the bench to the left wing, which sees the whole of the midfield shift in one position, while Raff Weston of Beechen Cliff moves from fly half to the bench. Max Ashton goes from the wing to outside centre, with Sherborne’s Will Parry going from 13 to 12, meanwhile Millfield’s Sam Harris moves from twelve to fly half and assumes the captaincy with it, leaving his schoolmate Ieuan Davies as the only man in the backline in the same position that he was against Quins. Up front there are plenty of changes too, Tom Hill returns at loosehead after missing the game against Quins, while Jaden Ephgrave comes in at tighthead having made his debut off the bench in that game. Behind them there is a first appearance for Rory Cameron, he start in the second row, while in the back for JJ O’Connell-Wozniak comes in to start at number 8 for the absent skipper Arthur Green. On the bench only Weston and Alex Salah have appeared this season, the rest will all be making their first appearances when they come on.

Gloucester

15 Ioan Jones (Dean Close), 14 Ben Peters (Dean Close), 13 Will Gilderson (Cheltenham College), 12 Tom Riman (Cheltenham College), 11 Archie Hossack (Hartpury College), 10 Keillen Cullen (Hartpury College), 9 Bailey Paetel (Hartpury College), 1 Tyler Harvey (Park House), 2 George Merritt (Dean Close, captain), 3 Berian Williams (Hartpury College), 4 Sam Vince (Hartpury College), 5 Sam Anson (Cleeve), 6 Casey Williams (Hartpury College), 7 Jack Hall (John Kyrle), 8 Finlay Jones (Hartpury College).

Replacements: 16 Sam Loftus (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 17 Will Hurn (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 18 Henry Pearson (Hartpury College), 19 Rhys Ford (Hartpury College), 20 Heath Gwilliam (Cheltenham College), 21 Joe Adams (Hartpury College), 22 Dave Samak (Hartpury College), 23 Nathan Thomson-Lee (Hartpury College).

Bath

15 Byron Lloyd-Gilmour, 14 Kamoto Kamanga-Dyrbak, 13 Max Ashton, 12 Will Parry, 11 Rory Crum, 10 Sam Harris (c), 9 Ieuan Davies, 1 Tom Hill, 2 Max Pearce, 3 Jaden Ephgrave, 4 Eddie Erskine, 5 Rory Cameron, 6 Jack Haythornthwaite, 7 Goerge Timmins, 8 JJ O’Connell-Wozniak.

Replacements: 16 Zak Dinning, 17 Harry Love, 18 Alex Peat Dibble, 19 Tom Roach, 20 Alex Salah, 21 Ollie Byrne, 22 Ruben Solomon-Gardner, 23 Raff Weston.

Saracens v Harlequins – Sunday 13^th Feb, 1pm, StoneX

The final game of the weekend could very well prove one of the most important as rivals Saracens and Harlequins go head to head at Saracens’ StoneX Stadium on Sunday lunchtime. If Bristol Bears have slipped up against Exeter, it will be a chance for the winner of this one to jump to the top of the table and claim a place in the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League Final. Saracens have more doors open to them, being just two points behind Bristol, while Quins need Bristol to finish pointless and to claim a bonus point win of their own.

Last week Saracens were in action against Gloucester and sealed a brilliant 47-22 victory to put them in this position this week. Unsurprisingly there is little change to the team that secured victory at Gloucester, with the same 23 names involved, the only changes being a few tweaks to which of the 23 are starting and which are on the bench. Sutton Valence’s Tom Barton moves from the bench to start on the left wing with Oaklands’s College’s Charlie Reynolds-West going the other way, while up front Oaklands College’s Freddie Chapman starts at loosehead having been on the bench, Haileybury’s Ikhi Osebor goes the other way.

Harlequins meanwhile saw their best hopes of a stab at the title disappear last week in a brilliant performance from Bristol Bears at Cobham RFC that saw them defeat Quins 20-7. Quins have made a few changes from that side, Trinity’s Josh Bellamy returns to the starting side at full back after being on the bench last week, while Wellington College’s Finn Tawse returns on the left wing after missing the last two rounds. Up front Gordons’ Tosin Teriba gets a first start at loosehead, while alongside him Worthing College’s Jack Doorey-Palmer is restored to the starting side after being on the bench last week, it’s a totally new front row, in fact, with St Paul’s Claudius Wheeler also promoted from the bench to start at tighthead. Behind them Tom Golder moves from the bench to the second row, the Gordon’s lock comes in for Brighton College’s Harry Browne, who is sadly absent alongside schoolmate Jonathan Smith. With Smith out, Gordons’ Theo Martin comes in for a first start, having benched in Rounds 2, 3, and 4. On the bench there is a return for Gordon’s Ben Elsey, a first appearances since round 3, while Whitgift’s Jamie Flatley makes a first appearance since starting at 10 in the opening round. Millfield’s Amir Sultan-Edwards also returns to the bench after missing the game against Bristol.

Saracens

15 Harry Legg (Simon Langton Grammar), 14 Micaal McFarlane (Skinners’), 13 Tyler Weeks (Sutton Valence), 12 Jenson McInulty (Sutton Valence), 11 Tom Barton (Sutton Valence), 10 Louis Sinclair (Finborough), 9 Charlie Bracken (St Albans), 1 Freddie Chapman (Oaklands College), 2 James Isaacs (Berkhamsted), 3 Charlie Keith (Berkhamsted), 4 Olamide Sodeke (Gravesend Grammar), 5 Max Eke (St George’s, Harpenden), 6 Barnaby Merrett (Sutton Valence), 7 Luca Fahy (Berkhamsted), 8 Nathan Michelow (Sutton Valence).

Replacements: 16 Henry Walker (Hartpury College), 17 Ikhi Osebor (Haileybury), 18 Max Wheeler (Bethany), 19 James Boylan (Berkhamsted), 20 Ollie Webb (Berkhamsted), 21 Ben Mills (Brentwood), 22 Charlie Reynolds-West (Oaklands College), 23 Jack Cullen (St Albans).

Harlequins

15 Josh Bellamy (Trinity), 14 Ethan Knight (Hampton), 13 Ben Waghorn (John Fisher), 12 Ludo Kolade (King’s Canterbury), 11 Finn Tawse (Wellington College), 10 Sean Kerr (Whitgift), 9 Charlie Clare (Brighton College), 1 Tosin Teriba (Gordon’s), 2 Jack Doorey-Palmer (Worthing College), 3 Claudius Wheeler (St Paul’s), 4 Jonny Green (Seaford College), 5 Tom Golder (Gordon’s), 6 Theo Martin (Gordon’s), 7 Seb Driscoll (Whitgift), 8 Zach Carr (Dulwich College).

Replacements: 16 Will Ayton (Wellington College), 17 Ethan Clarke (Worthing College), 18 Caleb Ashworth (Gordons), 19 Ben Elsey (Gordon’s), 20 TBC, 21 Murdoch Lock (Wellington College), 22 Jamie Flatley (Whitgift), 23 Amir Sultan-Edwards (Millfield).

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Finals Day: Saturday/Sunday 19^th/20^th February – Venue TBC (7 games)

Round 6 Results

North

Newcastle Falcons 24-14 Yorkshire Academy

Sale Sharks 12-22 Wasps

Worcester Warriors 28-35 Leicester Tigers

Northampton Saints – Bye

South

Harlequins 7-20 Bristol Bears

Gloucester 22-47 Saracens

London Irish 50-21 Exeter Chiefs

Bath – Bye 

Round 5 Results

North

Newcastle Falcons 31-10 Worcester Warriors

Wasps 32-45 Northampton Saints

Yorkshire Academy 16-17 Sale Sharks

Leicester Tigers – Bye 

South

Exeter Chiefs 17-14 Gloucester

Harlequins 31-21 Bath

London Irish 14-27 Bristol Bears

Saracens – Bye 

Round 4 Results:

North

Leicester Tigers 37-14 Yorkshire Academy

Sale Sharks 12-26 Newcastle Falcons

Worcester Warriors 27-24 Northampton Saints

Wasps – Bye 

South

Bath 19-14 London Irish

Bristol Bears 36-31 Saracens

Exeter Chiefs 24-29 Harlequins

Gloucester – Bye 

Round 3 Results:

North

Newcastle Falcons 24-27 Leicester Tigers

Sale Sharks 45-19 Northampton Saints

Wasps 14-24 Worcester Warriors

Yorkshire Academy – Bye

South

Bath 26-12 Exeter Chiefs

Gloucester 12-47 Harlequins

Saracens 17-14 London Irish

Bristol Bears – Bye

Round 2 Results:

North

Leicester Tigers 15-33 Sale Sharks

Northampton Saints 36-19 Yorkshire Academy

Wasps 20-14 Newcastle Falcons

Worcester Warriors – Bye

South

Bristol Bears 25-3 Gloucester

Harlequins 21-17 London Irish

Saracens 39-12 Bath

Exeter Chiefs – Bye

Round 1 Results:

North

Northampton Saints 36-22 Leicester Tigers 

Worcester Warriors 13-40 Sale Sharks

Yorkshire Academy 0-36 Wasps

Newcastle Falcons – Bye

South

Bath 12-27 Bristol Bears

Exeter Chiefs 12-46 Saracens

London Irish 41-17 Gloucester

Harlequins – Bye