Ahead of the U18 International Series and the start of the UK’s 2023/24 season, the NextGenXV Podcast returns today with a very special episode.
England U18 Head Coach Jonathan Pendlebury spoke to our own Angus Savage ahead of the England U18 side departing for South Africa, where they will be taking on France, Western Province, and South Africa over the course of the next 12 days.
The two spoke about the upcoming series, the differences that England can expect to face from France and, in particular, South Africa, life on tour, and much more in an in depth chat.
Pendlebury recently named his 26-man squad for the upcoming tour, which includes six players from now centrally run RFU Academies, a subject that the Savage and Pendlebury discussed at length after what has been a tumultuous season in English rugby leaving many young players uncertain about how to stay in the system before the RFU swiftly stepped in to centralise the academies of the demised professional clubs.
You can listen to the whole interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and please be sure to subscribe and to share it with your friends and family ahead of what will be weekly episodes for the 2023/24 season.
U18 International Series fixtures:
Friday 11th August
Venue: Boland Landou (Paarl)
15:00 (14:00 BST): England U18 vs France U18
Tuesday 15th August
Venue: Stellenberg HS (Durbanville)
13:00 (12:00 BST): England U18 vs WP U18 XV
15:00 (14:00 BST): SA U18 vs France U18
Saturday 19th August
Venue: Paarl Boys High School (Paarl)
13:00 (12:00 BST): France U18 vs WP U18 XV
15:00 (14:00 BST): SA U18 vs England U18
England U18 Squad
Forwards
Tayo Adegbemile (Saracens, St Albans)
Will Conduit (Midlands West, Stourport College)
Ronan Daniell (Harlequins, Hurstpierpoint College)
Sam Graham (Newcastle Falcons, Durham)
Junior Kpoku (Exeter Chiefs, Finborough)
Jack Lightbown (Sale Sharks, The Sixth Form Bolton)
Alfie Longstaff (Yorkshire Academy, Woodhouse Grove)
Jamie Miller (Harlequins, Whitgift)
Billy Sela (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff)
Solomon Shand (Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College)
Olamide Sodeke (Saracens, Gravesend Grammar)
Connor Treacey (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff)
Kepueli Tuipulotu (South Central London Academy, Harrow)
Charlie West (Saracens, St Albans)
Backs
Toby Baker (Bristol Bears, St Peter’s, York)
Jack Bracken (Saracens, St Albans)
Ollie Davies (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar)
Lucas Friday (Harlequins, Trinity)
Charlie Griffin (South Central London Academy, Harrow)
Angus Hall (Saracens, The Judd School, Tonbridge)
Dom Hanson (Sale Sharks, Stockport Grammar)
Nick Lilley (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College)
Finn Newton (Saracens, Haileybury)
Louie Platt (Yorkshire Academy, Mount St. Mary’s)
Toby Wilson (Sale Sharks, Kings Macclesfield)
Finlay Wiseman (South Central London Academy, Hampton)
