U20 Six Nations: England name side to face Scotland | Friday, 7pm KO, Twickenham Stoop

England Under 20s Training 13/01/23

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England have named their side for Friday night’s U20 Six Nations opener against Scotland at the Twickenham Stoop.

 

The 7pm kick off will see Alan Dickens’ men start a campaign that they hope will lead into a successful World Rugby U20 Championships, the first since 2019.

 

Leicester Tigers’ Lewis Chessum will lead the side, the younger brother of Ollie who looks likely to play for the senior England side at Twickenham the following day. Chessum is one of four Leicester Tigers in the starting lineup, with another on the bench as Finn Carnduff lines up on the blindside flank, Tim Hoyt at loosehead, and Joseph Woodward at inside centre, with Robert Carmichael covering the second row from the bench.

 

They will be joined by a future Leicester Tiger Finn Theobald-Thomas of Gloucester at hooker, one of four Gloucester players in the starting side, with fellow front rower Archie McArthur alongside him at loosehead, Danny Eite partnering Chessum in the second row, and Josh Hathaway starting on the left wing.

 

London Irish and Saracens each see two players selected in the starting XV, Saracens’ Tobias Elliott is on the right wing while Charlie Bracken, son of England legend Kyran, starts at scrum half like his father. London Irish see Chandler Cunningham-South start at 8 for the England U20 side and Monty Bradbury at fly half, the former Wellington College star is the  only starter that was not in the original EPS named in early January. There are also two London Irish players on the bench, front rowers Calum Scott and Afolabi Fasogbon.

 

Reikeiti Ma’asi-White starts at outside centre, the former Harrow man began life at Wasps but moved to Sale Sharks after Wasps’ collapse. Three of his new Sale teammates are on the bench, scrum half Nye Thomas and two players that were outside of that original EPS, loosehead Asher Opoku-Fordjour, who moved from Wasps like Ma’asi-White, and outstanding openside Tristan Woodman.

 

Starting on the openside is Exeter Chiefs’ Greg Fisilau, who also moved from Wasps, while at fullback is the magical former Millfield pupil Sam Harris of Bath.

 

Completing the bench are Newcastle Falcons’ Louie Johnson, the former Sedbergh skipper, and a current schoolboy Toby Cousins. The Northampton Saint is still a pupil at Oakham School in Rutland as has been called into the squad for this game, an achievement previously seen from the like of Marcus Smith.

 

Sadly for many of the usual Twickenham Stoop fans there will be no home player to get behind, Harlequins and Bristol Bears are the only two Gallagher Premiership sides without a player in the 23.

 

Speaking ahead of the game, England U20 Head Coach Alan Dickens said: “For all players named, this game will be a very important moment and so they should savour the occasion this Friday evening. Special congratulations should also go to the boys who will get their first England cap.”

“We’re looking forward to taking on what I’m sure will be a strong Scotland side at Twickenham Stoop. It’s our first game of the Six Nations in 2023, which is always a bit of an unknown as we’re unsure what the opposition will bring, but that also means we can focus on what we’re doing as a team.”

“We’ve had a very worthwhile time together in camp, as well as two good games against Oxford University and Loughborough University. The commitment and mindset from the players has so far been nothing short of exceptional and on Friday evening they’ll be able to take that hard work into the tournament.”

 

England U20 XV vs Scotland: Twickenham Stoop, Friday, 7pm KO

 

15 Sam Harris (Bath)

14 Tobias Elliott (Saracens)

13 Rekeiti Ma’asi-White (Sale Sharks)

12 Joseph Woodward (Leicester Tigers)

11 Josh Hathaway (Gloucester)

10 Monty Bradbury (London Irish)

9 Charlie Bracken (Saracens)

1 Archie McArthur (Gloucester)

2 Finn Theobald-Thomas (Gloucester)

3 Tim Hoyt (Leicester Tigers)

4 Danny Eite (Gloucester)

5 Lewis Chessum (Leicester Tigers, captain)

6 Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers)

7 Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)

8 Chandler Cunningham-South (London Irish)

 

Replacements: 16 Calum Scott (London Irish), 17 Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), 18 Afolabi Fasogbon (London Irish), 19 Robert Carmichael (Leicester Tigers), 20 Tristan Woodman, (Sale Sharks) 21 Nye Thomas (Sale Sharks), 22 Louie Johnson (Newcastle Falcons), 23 Toby Cousins (Northampton Saints & Oakham School)

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