England have named their 2023 Men’s U18 Squad for the U18 International series in South Africa this August.
Head Coach Jonathan Pendlebury has named a 26-man squad for the series, which will take place in the Cape Town region, with fixtures to be confirmed in due course.
The annual trip to South Africa has been treated as the opening fixtures of the season to come rather than the last of the season just been, and will be so again, making it a real challenge for the young English group as they come up against South African counterparts that are a year senior to them.
That said, the squad contains plenty of experience with nine players in the squad having played for England U18 before, including at the recent U18 Six Nations Festival in Dublin.
That nine includes four in the forward pack, Finborough’s Junior Kpoku, Bolton 6th form’s Jack Lightbown, Beechen Cliff’s Billy Sela, and Harrow star Kepueli Tuipulotu. Among the five in the backs are Tuipulotu’s Harrow teammate Charlie Griffin, Trinity’s Lucas Friday, Kirkham Grammar’s Ollie Davies, Nottingham High School’s Tom Threlfall, and St Albans’ Jack Bracken.
Bracken is one of a remarkable three St Albans pupils in the squad, with fellow back Charlie West also selected alongside Tayo Adegbemile from the forwards. Only Harrow, with Tuipulotu and Griffin, and Beechen Cliff, through Sela and Connor Treacey, have more than one pupil in the squad.
Those three St Albans pupils help Saracens to be the most represented Academy in the 26-man squad, with six representatives, two of the St Albans trio, Bracken and West, Kpoku, Gravesend Grammar’s Olamide Sodeke, and Haileybury’s Finn Newton, as well as The Judd’s Angus Hall.
London Irish, Harlequins, and Sale Sharks are the next most represented, with four players each. For London Irish the Harrow pair of Tuipulotu and Griffin, St Albans’ Adegbemile, and Hampton star Finlay Wiseman. For Harlequins, the experienced Friday leads their quartet along with Hurstpierpoint College’s Ronan Daniel, Whitgift’s Jamie Miller, and Gordons’ Zuko Robb. Sale Sharks meanwhile see the experienced Lightbown and Davies joined by Stockport Gramm’s Dom Hanson and King’s Macclesfield’s Toby Wilson. Bath are the only other club with multiple representatives, the Beechen Cliff pair of Sela and Treacey.
Exeter Chiefs see Exeter College’s Nick Lilley selected, while Gloucester are represented by Hartpury College’s Solomon Shand, while Midlands West see Will Conduit of Stourport selected, three of six ACE players in the squad alongside the Beechen Cliff pair and Gordons’ Robb.
Durham School’s Sam Graham of Newcastle Falcons is selected, while Nottingham’s High’s Threlfall is Leicester Tigers’ sole representative, Woodhouse Grove’s Alfie Longstaff will be the Yorkshire Academy’s only player in South Africa.
Commenting on his squad, Pendlebury said: “Congratulations to all players selected in this England men’s U18 squad – it is recognition of the hard work they, their families, schools, junior and community rugby clubs, and academies have put in.
“Some of these players have worked together during this season’s previous development camps, where we’ve focused on exploring boundaries, while for others this could present their first opportunity to represent England.
“As we’ve seen in previous years, the tour of South Africa allows young men to develop in an international environment and come away with invaluable on and off pitch rugby experience.”
England U18 Men’s Squad – South Africa Tour
Forwards
Tayo Adegbemile (London Irish, St Albans School)
Will Conduit (Midlands West, Stourport College, ACE)
Ronan Daniell (Harlequins, Hurstpierpoint College)
Sam Graham (Newcastle Falcons, Durham School)
Junior Kpoku (Saracens, Finborough School)*
Jack Lightbown (Sale Sharks, The Sixth Form Bolton)*
Nick Lilley (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College)
Alfie Longstaff (Yorkshire Academy, Woodhouse Grove)
Jamie Miller (Harlequins, Whitgift School)
Billy Sela (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff)*
Solomon Shand (Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College)
Olamide Sodeke (Saracens, Gravesend Grammar School)
Connor Treacey (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff)
Kepueli Tuipulotu (London Irish, Harrow School)*
Backs
Jack Bracken (Saracens, St Albans School)*
Ollie Davies (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar)*
Lucas Friday (Harlequins, Trinity School)*
Charlie Griffin (London Irish, Harrow School)*
Angus Hall (Saracens, The Judd School, Tonbridge)
Dom Hanson (Sale Sharks, Stockport Grammar)
Finn Newton (Saracens, Haileybury)
Zuko Robb (Harlequins, Gordons School, ACE)
Tom Threlfall (Leicester Tigers, Nottingham High School)*
Charlie West (Saracens, St Albans School)
Toby Wilson (Sale Sharks, Kings Macclesfield)
Finlay Wiseman (London Irish, Hampton School)
*Already capped at U18 International Level