This weekend is the final round of the league stage in the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League, with teams jostling for their finishing positions ahead of finals day at Kingsholm Stadium on Sunday 18^th February.

Northampton Saints, in the North Group, and Bath, in the South Group, have their destiny in their own hands as they chase top spot in their groups and a place in the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League Final. Saints sit in second place behind Sale, but with Sale having a bye week Saints know that any sort of victory over Newcastle Falcons will send them through.

Bath meanwhile are three points clear of Exeter Chiefs in the South, if Exeter don’t win at Bristol then Bath’s result at Gloucester will not even matter. But, in simple terms for Bath, victory at Gloucester will send them to the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League final, and will send them there as the only undefeated side in either pool.

Sale and Exeter are guaranteed second place finishes and a place in the third place play off at worst, while behind those two the scramble for places is hot across both conferences. It will be an intense final round of action.

Round 7 Fixtures & Team News

North (Sale Sharks Bye)

Leicester Tigers v Midlands Central – Saturday, Loughborough Uni, 2pm

Fifth host fourth in the North Group, both could finish as high as third. Central can’t slip lower than fifth but the bottom two spots potentially lurk for Tigers should they lose and Newcastle and Yorkshire pull off significant victories. Both sides arrive off the back of defeats, Tigers a close one to Central’s RFU Midlands Academy partners Midlands West, Midlands Central to Sale Sharks – who have been utterly sensational since Christmas.

Tigers keep things pretty stable following last week’s game against Midlands west, the forward pack is unchanged, while in the backs Stamford’s James Egerton is promoted from the bench to start at inside centre, and Newcastle-Under-Lyme’s Frasier Edwards comes in at full back. There are two new faces on the bench as well, Brooksby Melton College pair Fergus Hana and Tubuna Maka.

Midlands Central make plenty of changes to the side that went down to Sale last time out. Up front City of Oxford College’s Matt Bridge comes in on the openside, while Rugby’s Jake Roberts and St Edward’s Oxford’s Matt Sell swap positions in the back row. In the front row Lasha Asatiani-Kalandadze of Bishop Vesey’s Grammar is promoted from the bench to tighthead, while Hereford 6^th form College’s Sean O’Donnell comes in at hooker. In the backline it is a fresh centre pairing as Magdalen College’s Thomas Cunningham returns at 12 and Sedbergh’s Jack Randall is promoted from the bench to start at 13. Meanwhile Rugby School star Nathaniel Kayada comes in on the right wing, and Wellignton College’s Harry Eckersall gets a start at scrum half. Harry Bewley of St George’s Harpenden, City of Oxford College’s Kieran Edward’s, and Rugby’s Oscar Talbot all come in on the bench.

Leicester Tigers:

15 Frasier Edwards (Newcastle-Under-Lyme), 14 Freddie Snary (Norwich), 13 Harvey Nkrumah (Norwich), 12 James Egerton (Stamford), 11 Tobias Spencer (Norwich), 10 Tom Threlfall (Nottingham HS), 9 Jack Dickens (Trent College), 1 Bronson Mellowes (Brooksby Melton), 2 Jamie Longyear (Denstone College), 3 Ben Beere (Stamford), 4 George Marsh (Gresham’s), 5 Harry Palmer (Brooksby Melton), 6 Joshua Brahoua (King’s Grantham), 7 Lawrence Adediran (Brooksby Melton), 8 Ralfie Willott (Brooksby Melton, captain).

Replacements: 16 Fergus Hanna (Brooksby Melton), 17 Euan Fern (Brooksby Melton), 18 Tubuna Maka (Brooksby Melton), 19 Tate Skinner (Old Swinford Hospital), 20 Henry Nanka-Bruce (Brooksby Melton), 21 Sam Dickens (Trent College), 22 Oliver Docherty (Oakham), 23 Samson Shute (Brooksby Melton).

Midlands Central:

15 George Pearson (City of Oxford College), 14 Nathaniel Kayada (Rugby), 13 Jack Randall (Sedbergh), 12 Thomas Cunningham (Magdalen College), 11 Emosi Nabakeke (Queen Ethelburga’s), 10 Charlie Mason (St Edward’s Oxford, captain), 9 Harry Eckersall (Wellington College), 1 George Alexander (City of Oxford College), 2 Sean O’Donnell (Hereford 6^th form College), 3 Lasha Asatiani-Kalandadze (Bishop Vesey’s GS), 4 Ade Oyeyemi (Henley College), 5 Ethan Surrey (City of Oxford College), 6 Jake Roberts (Rugby), 7 Matt Bridge (City of Oxford College), 8 Matt Sell (St Edward’s Oxford).

Replacements: 16 Michael Onobhayedo (Magdalen College), 17 Diamond Ayiehfor (Warwick), 18 Gruff Williams (City of Oxford College), 19 Harry Bewley (St George’s, Harpenden), 20 Freddie Walton (Magdalen College), 21 Kieran Edwards (City of Oxford College), 22 Oscar Talbot (Rugby), 23 Charlie Morgan-Stephens (City of Oxford College)

Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons – Saturday, Franklins Gardens, 4.30pm

The game to watch, victory send Northampton Saints to the Premiership Rugby U18 Academy Final. Only one side has defeated them so far, the rampant Sale Sharks in an epic game, 49-42. They have been sensational and at Franklin’s Gardens they are going to be inspired. Newcastle Falcons are not going to just step aside though, they will be reeling after defeat at home to Yorkshire Academy last time out and will want to put that right and avoid a bottom placed finish in the table. They might take heart from Saints’ last game too, where Midlands Central nearly caught them out in a 43-41 epic. Saints though will think that having come through that, they can come through anything.

After a week’s rest a few players return from injury for Northampton Saints, including England hooker Robert Gaffan, the Rugby School skipper. He is one of four fresh faces in the starting XV including front row colleague Sonny Tonga-uhia. Tonag’uhia is promoted from then bench, so too Rhys Harries, who starts at openside, a move that sees Kieran Perkins switch to the blindside. There is just one change in the backline as Henry Lumley is promoted from the bench, he starts at outside centre, which sees Bedford’s Ben Agbenu move to the right wing. On the bench Reon Gilbert-Joseph and Aiden Ainsworth-Cave both comes in, so too Mark Miska Alvarez, from whom this would be a debut.

Newcastle Falcons make six changes from the side that missed out against Yorkshire last time out, including all three front row as Sedbergh’s Aidan Stewart comes in at loosehead, Gosforth Academy’s Ryan Shaw returns at hooker, and Durham’s Sam Graham, the England U18 prop, is fit enough to return at tighthead. In the backs Sedbergh’s Junior Newton is back at fly half, with Gosforth Academy duo Reuben Dyer and Rhys Beeckmans coming in at scrum half and outside centre respectively. On the bench Gosforth’s Lincoln Vuna, Aaron Nokes, and Charlie Lawson come in after missing out last week, likewise Richmond 6^th form College’s Osea Navuso.

Northampton Saints:

15 Edoardo Todaro, 14 Ben Agbenu, 13 Henry Lumley, 12 Billy Pasco (c), 11 Rafe Witheat, 10 Louis Haley, 9 Jonny Weimann, 1 Tom Dye, 2 Robert Gaffan, 3 Sonny Tonga’uhia, 4 Tom Ross, 5 Ollie Hull, 6 Kieran Perkins, 7 Rhys Harries, 8 Alfie Hoyles.

Replacements: 16 Ed Delaney, 17 Reon Gilbert-Joseph, 18 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, 19 Mark Miska Alvarez, 20 Ben Currie, 21 Tom Addison, 22 Louis Burns.

Newcastle Falcons:

15 Josh Bailey (Gosforth Academy), 14 James Bent (Gosforth Academy), 13 Rhys Beeckmans (Gosforth Academy), 12 Josh Farley (Gosforth Academy), 11 Huw Lloyd (Gosforth Academy), 10 Junior Newton (Sedbergh), 9 Reuben Dyer (Gosforth Academy), 1 Aidan Stewart (Sedbergh), 2 Ryan Shaw (Gosforth Academy), 3 Sam Graham (Durham), 4 Patrick Hogg (Durham, captain), 5 Harry Wildridge (Yarm), 6 Jacob Butterill (Sedbergh), 7 Charlie Turnbull (Sedbergh), 8 Reuben Parsons (Gosforth Academy).

Replacements: 16 Harry Bellamy (Sedbergh), 17 Lincoln Vuna (Gosforth Academy), 18 Elvis Kitenge-Fuki (Gosforth Academy), 19 Aaron Nokes (Gosforth Academy), 20 Dan Toole (Durham), 21 Joe Davis (Barnard Castle), 22 Osea Navuso (Richmond 6^th form College), 23 Charlie Lawson (Gosforth Academy).

Yorkshire Academy v Midlands West – Saturday, Doncaster Knights, 2pm

Buoyed by their first victory of the campaign last week, away at Newcastle Falcons, Yorkshire Academy are going to be gunning for victory at Doncaster Knights on Saturday as they bid for two in a row and avoiding a bottom placed finish. Midlands West are going to be pumped though, having won a tight one over Leicester Tigers last time out that leaves them two points clear in third place, a position that they are not going to want to give up lightly.

Following that victory last week, Yorkshire have named an unchanged starting XV for the first time this campaign. The only changes are on the bench where Grammar School at Leeds’ Harry Peyton and St Peter’s York’s Aiden Doeg both get their chance to impress.

Midlands West meanwhile make a few changes, with Joe Johnston of North Leamington College coming in at full back and Hartpury College’s Harvey Shaw likewise off the bench to start at 9. Meanwhile the forward pack sees plenty of changes, including an all new back row as Stourport High School’s Ben Gowland and KES Birmingham’s Fintan Dowling are promoted from the bench to 8 and 7 respectively, while Malvern College’s Monty Oliver comes in from outside of last week’s 23 to start on the blindside. Hartpury College’s Tom Roberts is back in the side at second row, while on the bench Chrishome Afriyie, Jeremy Akena, Brendan Colley, and David Petrescu all come in.

Yorkshire Academy:

15 Callum Hyland-Dugbo (Woodhouse Grove), 14 Anesu Chindove (St Peter’s, York), 13 Vojtech Nevicky (Mount St Mary’s), 12 Lloyd McEwan-Peters (Wellington College), 11 Thomas Rowe (Woodhouse Grove), 10 Louie Platt (Mount St Mary’s), 9 Gabriel Horberry (Harrogate GS), 1 Lucas Oxley (St Peter’s, York), 2 Alfie Longstaff (Woodhouse Grove, captain), 3 Oliver Fretwell (Bishop Burton College), 4 Callum Russell (Bishop Burton College), 5 Fraser Perry (Hill House), 6 Josh Oke (Ampleforth College), 7 Archie Hurford (Woodhouse Grove), 8 Oliver Spencer (Grammar School at Leeds).

Replacements: 16 Seb Easterby-Gray (Queen Ethelburga’s), 17 N/A, 18 Myles Lyster (Kirkham GS), 19 Anthony McCormack (Bishop Burton College), 20 Harry Tunningley (Hill House), 21 Harry Peyton (Grammar School at Leeds), 22 Isaac Firth (Birkdale), 23 Aiden Doeg (St Peter’s, York).

Midlands West: 15 Joe Johnston (North Leamington College), 14 Charlie Whorrod (Warwick), 13 Henry Williams (Hartpury College), 12 Henry Parsons (Bromsgrove), 11 Ellis Deans-Smith (Hartpury College), 10 Ned Collins (Hereford 6^th form College), 9 Harvey Shaw (Hartpury College), 1 Harrison Osborne (Bromsgrove), 2 George Knowles (Hereford Cathedral), 3 Lewys Perkins (Stourport HS), 4 Tom Roberts (Hartpury College), 5 Dan Halkon (RGS Worcester), 6 Monty Oliver (Malvern College), 7 Fintan Dowling (KES Birmingham), 8 Ben Gowland (Stourport HS).

Replacements: 16 Chrishome Afriyie (Haberdashers’ Abraham Darby), 17 Jeremy Akena (Stourport HS), 18 Rory Blyth (Hereford 6^th form College), 19 Tom Hilton (Malvern College), 20 Henry Black (Hereford 6^th form College), 21 Brendan Colley (Bromsgrove), 22 David Petrescu (Newport HS), 23 Haydn Lewis (Hartpury College).

South (London & South Central Bye)

Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday, Dings Crusaders, 4pm

The equation at Dings Crusaders is simple for Exeter Chiefs, they have to win to have a chance of catching Bath at the top of the table. The question lingering in the air may well be – do they check in on what happened at Kingsholm in the Gloucester v Bath game? That game kicks off at 1pm, Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs at 4, Exeter will know if top spot is possible or not, and what they have to do if it is, before their game kicks off. They have been rampant since Christmas, but Bristol Bears are going to be no pushovers, they are currently in third place and are going to be keen to keep it. Having performed so well at Harlequins last time out as well, they will fancy their chances of doing so.

Bristol Bears change things up a fair bit in the pack from the side that defeated Harlequins last time out, in the front row Jan Davidson and Charlie Manship are promoted from the bench, likewise Oliver Russell in the second row and Dan Bartlett at number 8. In the backs there is just the one changes, with Oscar Green in at scrum half, the Clifton College man is, like those changes in the pack, promoted from the bench. There are fresh faces on the bench too, Kent, Mills, Lant, and Gealy coming in, likewise Clifton College’s Aiden Boshoff is available as he is not involved with Wales U20 this weekend.

Exeter Chiefs makes just one change to their starting lineup from last week’s victory at London & South Central, with Rhys Richards returning to the starting lineup from the bench at inside centre, Israel Akinrowo goes the other way. Meanwhile Josh Pengilly gets a shot from the bench. Unsurprisingly, given their incredible form of later, Exeter are looking extremely settled.

Bristol Bears:

15 Tom Bowen, 14 Louis Nancekivell, 13 Victor Worsnip, 12 Jamie Howick, 11 Josh Sheppard, 10 Fin Fielder, 9 Oscar Green, 1 Jan Davidson, 2 Charlie Manship, 3 Jack Parkinson, 4 Oliver Russell, 5 Harrison Jones, 6 Joachim Hullah, 7 Kieran Hill, 8 Dan Bartlett.

Replacements: Hodgson, Kent, Mills, Lant, Gealy, Williams, Boshoff.

Exeter Chiefs:

15 Jed Findlay, 14 Noah Clifford, 13 Nick Lilley, 12 Rhys Richards, 11 Rhys Williams, 10 Freddie Hirst, 9 James Howard, 1 Josh Mann, 2 Tyler Bayley, 3 Ben Woodmansey, 4 Luke Evans (c), 5 Mawgen Warren, 6 Tom Dingle, 7 Freddie Rolls, 8 Xan Retallack.

Replacements: 16 Ted Hocking, 17 Jack Sherratt, 18 Albert Dowse, 19 Jacob Lewis, 20 Ben Harris, 21 Josh Pengilly, 22 Israel Akinrowo, 23 Luca Brano.

Gloucester v Bath – Saturday, Kingsholm, 1pm

Top spot is, as mentioned, in Bath’s hands. Win at Kingsholm and it is theirs, and having been unbeaten all season, they will feel confident of it. Gloucester currently sit at the foot of the table, but in many ways that makes them dangerous because they are going to be determined not to finish there. What they might take heart from is that while Bath are top of the pile, they haven’t blown sides out of the water. Their five victories to date have been by; two points (twice), three points, five points, and eight points – their games are tight, and if it’s tight then there’s always a chance. From Bath’s point of view though, they may have been tight but consistently falling on the right side of tight games is the sign of a top quality side with an excellent mentality. They will be feeling confident.

Gloucester make three changes to the side that went down to Saracens last time out, with Dean Close’s Billy Benson promoted from the bench to start at inside centre, likewise St Peter’s, Gloucester’s Piers Fortey at scrum half. Hartpury College’s Ieuan Rowlands also comes in on the left wing, while on the bench his schoolmate Rio Ebanks comes in alongside Dean Close’s Freddie Ogden-Metherall. It has been a good week for Gloucester, and Hartpury College, with skipper Caio James named in the Wales U18 squad for the U18 Six Nations Festival alongside Reuben Cummins and Alex Bosworth.

After the bye last week, Bath make plenty of changes from their round five side. Kingswood’s Evan Gallagher returns to the starting jersey at hooker, with Millfield’s Henry Bonetti, who captained the side in a friendly last week, back on the bench. Bonetti’s Millfield schoolmate Alex Deering moves from four to five in the second row, with Beechen Cliff’s Alfie Blackett returning alongside. Meanwhile in the back row Marlborough College’s Ed Elliott is promoted from the bench to the openside, which means a shift for schoolmate James Maloney from 7 to 6. In the backs Monkton Combe’s Callum Kingsbury is promoted from outside of the 23 to the right wing, and Beechen Cliff’s Harry Walker is promoted from the bench to full back. His schoolmates Oliver Cartwright and Isaac Mears are meanwhile promoted to the bench.

Gloucester:

15 Woody Walker (Radley College), 14 Raph Campbell (King’s Gloucester), 13 Ollie Rendell (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 12 Billy Benson (Dean Close), 11 Ieuan Rowlands (Hartpury College), 10 Taite Fortey (Hartpury College), 9 Piers Fortey (St Peter’s, Gloucester), 1 Billy Kerslake (Wycliffe College), 2 Ruben Cummings (Hartpury College), 3 Ellis Allen (Hartpury College), 4 Jonno Balding (Radley College), 5 Jay Evans (Sir Thomas Rich’s), 6 Solomon Shand (Hartpury College), 7 Caio James (Hartpury College, captain), 8 Olly Allport (Dean Close).

Replacements: 16 Leo Mullis (King’s Gloucester), 17 Tom Ring (King’s Gloucester), 18 Josh Hanson (Cheltenham College), 19 Freddie Ogden-Metherell (Dean Close), 20 Kealan Freeman-Price (Hartpury College), 21 Rio Ebanks (Hartpury College), 22 Jack Hopson (Dean Close).

Bath:

15 Harry Walker (Beechen Cliff), 14 Callum Kingsbury (Monkton Combe), 13 Jack Harrison (Beechen Cliff), 12 Steffan Emanuel (Millfield), 11 Julian Nunn (Beechen Cliff), 10 James Linegar (Kingswood), 9 Sam Gane (Beechen Cliff), 1 Theo Malik (Dauntsey’s), 2 Evan Gallagher (Kingswood), 3 Leo Palmer (Kingswood), 4 Alex Deering (Millfield), 5 Alfie Blackett (Beechen Cliff), 6 James Maloney (Marlborough College), 7 Ed Elliott (Marlborough College), 8 Connor Treacey (Beechen Cliff, captain).

Replacements: 16 Henry Bonetti (Millfield), 17 Sam Janaway (Canford), 18 Oliver Cartwright (Beechen Cliff), 19 Charlie Ward (Kingswood), 20 Fred Kempton (Beechen Cliff), 21 Isaac Mears (Beechen Cliff), 22 Owen Erasmus (Millfield), 23 Henry Bartlett (Beechen Cliff).

Saracens v Harlequins – Sunday, StoneX, 1pm

The final game of the weekend and one with plenty of spice about it, the London derby between Saracens and Harlequins at StoneX. Saracens will be feeling good after victory against Gloucester last time out and a victory on Sunday could see them rise to as high as third in the table and a place in the fifth place play off, however should Harlequins win with a bonus points, then Quins could rise to fifth and drop Saracens to sixth. Quins haven’t won since the summer rounds, but they have been competitive in almost every game they have played and will be itching to finish up with another victory and to demonstrate their quality. It should be a top quality game to finish off the league phase of the 2024 Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League.

Saracens make just one change to the side that was victorious last week, with Josh Twigg promoted from the bench to start at loosehead, a move that sees Lewis Young switch from loosehead to hooker, with Frank Kitchen set to make an impact from the bench. Otherwise it is the same 23 that defeated Gloucester last weekend.

Harlequins makes three changes in the pack as Whitgift’s England loosehead Jamie Miller returns to the starting XV. Nathan Ventham of Brighton College is promoted from the bench to the second row and alongside him is Henley College’s Jack O’Kelly, who moves from six to accommodate the returning Milo Rayner-Parkin of Hurstpierpoint College. In the backline Gordon’s Ben Webb is promoted from the bench to full back, which sees Hartpury College’s Elliot Southworth move from full back to the right wing. John Fisher’s Jaylan Ryan-Coker and Seaford College’s Rory Minton earn spots on the bench after missing out last time around.

Saracens:

15 Jack Bracken (St Albans), 14 Finn Newton (Haileybury), 13 Fraser Rawlins (Haileybury), 12 Angus Hall (The Judd, co-captain), 11 Charlie Griffin (Harrow), 10 Alex Nagele (Berkhamsted), 9 Asa Stewart-Harris (St Albans), 1 Josh Twigg (St George’s, Harpenden), 2 Lewis Young (Sutton Valence), 3 Finn Bloomer (Richard Hale), 4 Charlie Barker (Ashford), 5 Tayo Adegbemile (St Albans, co-captain), 6 Zach Johnson (Tonbridge), 7 Charlie West (St Albans), 8 Gabriel Nott (Berkhamsted).

Replacements: 16 Frank Kitchen (The Judd), 17 Rohan Burke (Ipswich), 18 Amen Ogunsanya, 19 Finn White (Sedbergh), 20 Alfie Marks (Gravesend GS), 21 Rafa Varona Blakstad (Mill Hill), 22 Leo Elder (St Albans).

Harlequins:

15 Ben Webb (Gordon’s), 14 Elliot Southworth (Hartpury College), 13 Morgan Purnell (Gordon’s), 12 Ed Tusler (Hurstpierpoint College), 11 Zuko Robb (Gordon’s), 10 Felix Bateman-Champain (Worth), 9 Sam Line (Whitgift), 1 Jamie Miller (Whitgift), 2 Jimmy Staples (Seaford College), 3 Ollie Streeter (Gordon’s), 4 Jack O’Kelly (Henley College), 5 Nathan Ventham (Brighton College), 6 Milo Rayner-Parkin (Hurstpierpoint College), 7 Ashton Graham (Gordon’s), 8 Tate Williams (Worth).

Replacements: 16 Connor Van Lille (Newman College), 17 Jaylan Ryan-Coker (John Fisher), 18 Adam Beney (Gordon’s), 19 Tom Maslen (Wellington College), 20 Rory Minton (Seaford College), 21 Izaak Manuel (Eton College)

Standings

North Group

South Group

Finals Day – Sunday 18th February, Kingsholm Stadium

Past Results

Round 1

North

Midlands West 22-22 Sale Sharks

Northampton Saints 75-7 Leicester Tigers

Yorkshire Academy 31-33 Midlands Central

Newcastle Falcons – Bye

South

Bath 29-27 Bristol Bears

Exeter Chiefs 44-27 Saracens

London South Central 36-33 Gloucester

Harlequins – Bye

Round 2

North

Leicester Tigers 40-26 Sale Sharks

Midlands Central 45-14 Newcastle Falcons

Northampton Saints 40-21 Yorkshire Academy

Midlands West – Bye

South

Bristol Bears 49-12 Gloucester

Harlequins 35-25 London South Central

Saracens 26-34 Bath

Exeter Chiefs – Bye

Round 3 Results

North

Midlands Central 19-27 Midlands West

Newcastle Falcons 26-19 Leicester Tigers

Sale Sharks 49-42 Northampton Saints

Yorkshire Academy – Bye

South

Bath 34-29 Exeter Chiefs

Gloucester 24-14 Harlequins

Saracens 50-36 London South Central

Bristol Bears – Bye

Round 4 Results

North

Leicester Tigers 29-12 Yorkshire Academy

Midlands West 19-34 Northampton Saints

Sale Sharks 59-12 Newcastle Falcons

Midlands Central – Bye

South

Bath 33-31 London South Central

Bristol Bears 27-22 Saracens

Exeter Chiefs 35-24 Harlequins

Gloucester – Bye

Round 5 Results:

North

Midlands Central 41-43 Northampton Saints

Newcastle Falcons 5-19 Midlands West

Yorkshire Academy 10-44 Sale Sharks

Leicester Tigers – Bye

South

Exeter Chiefs 29-19 Gloucester

Harlequins 29-32 Bath

London South Central 32-19 Bristol Bears

Saracens – Bye

Round 6 Results:

North

Midlands West 21-17 Leicester Tigers

Newcastle Falcons 22-29 Yorkshire Academy

Sale Sharks 48-24 Midlands Central

Northampton Saints – Bye

South

Gloucester 21-34 Saracens

Harlequins 7-26 Bristol Bears

London South Central 28-37 Exeter Chiefs

Bath – Bye