England have named two U18 squads for their upcoming fixtures against Scotland and France.
A 22-man squad to take on Scotland at Billingham RUFC on Sunday 17th March (2pm ko) has been named, with a 23-man squad named to take on France at Cheshunt RFC on Sunday 24th March (2pm ko).
Ten players feature in both squads, meaning that 35 players are selected overall, representing 27 different schools and 9 different academies, Newcastle Falcons, Yorkshire Carnegie, Bristol Bears, Worcester Warriors, and Exeter Chiefs are unrepresented in the squads.
Among the 35 are a remarkable eight Gloucester players, four of whom will feature in both squads, Cheltenham College due Jack Clement and Louis Hillman-Cooper, and Dean Close pair Archie Benson and Josh Gray, who will be joined by schoolmate George Barton against France. The other three Gloucester players are all at Hartpury College, Jenson Boughton and Harry Fry playing against Scotland and Joe Howard against France.
Three Sale Sharks players are also doubling up, Sedbergh’s Tom Curtis, Wirral Grammar’s Tom Roebuck, and St Ambrose College’s Raphael Quirke, in total there will be 4 Sale Sharks in action, with Merchant Taylors’ James Harper linking up against France.
Leicester Tigers also have two players doubling up, Brooksby Melton College’s George Martin and Oakham’s Jack van Poorvliet, three others Tigers players will be joining them Denstone College’s Joe Browning against Scotland and against France Norwich’s Freddie Steward and Woodhouse Grove’s James Whitcombe.
The only other player to double up is Saracens’ Harvey Beaton of Sutton Valence, who clubmate Theodore Dan of Alleyn’s will join him against France.
Along with the likes of Dean Close, Hartpury College, and Cheltenham College all having multiple representatives in the squads, Beechen Cliff have a remarkable four players in the squads Orlando Bailey, Nahum Merigan, John Stewart, and George Worboys. The for Bath Acaedmy men all feature against Scotland, while Bath also have a player playing against France, KES Bath’s Max Ojomoh.
St Paul’s Catholic College are the only other side with multiple representatives, Phil Cokanasiga and Luke Green playing against Scotland. Their London Irish clubmate, Chunya Munga of Leighton Park, will face France.
Harlequins have four players in the squad, St George’s Weybridge’s Sam Riley and Cranleigh’s Will Trenholm against Scotland, and Wellington College’s Jack Reid and Hampton’s Louis Lynagh against France.
Wasps meanwhile have three in the squad. Caterham’s Jude Williams will face Scotland before Radley College’s Zac Nearchou and the fast-rising star Alfie Barbeary of Bloxham take on France. Northampton Saints have one player across the squads, Millfield’s Josh Gillespie will face France.
Following the games against Scotland and France the squad will then move into preparations for the U18 Six Nations Festival, which this year will be hosted by England at Hartpury College. England will face Wales on Saturday 13th April, Ireland on Wednesday 17th, and France on Sunday 21st.
The group are led by Jim Mallinder and Steve Bates, with Mark Luffman, Sean Marsden, and Jonathan Fisher assisting. Speaking to www.englandrugby.com about the squads as a whole, Mallinder said:
“It’s great to be back on home soil for these two fixtures after the summer development tour, we want to see some progress and for the players to have developed. We are looking to play an exciting, attacking brand of rugby but when we have not got the ball we need to be organised and enjoy defending.”
“Our U18 matches give the players a really good opportunity to perform on the international stage. For some of them it will be the start of their international pathway, a few have already had the opportunity in South Africa, but there will be others that play in March who weren’t involved in the summer so this is a great chance for them to show what they can do at this level.”
England U18 Squads:
England U18 v Scotland – Billingham RUFC, Sunday 17th March, 2pm
Orlando Bailey (Bath & Beechen Cliff)
Harvey Beaton (Saracens & Sutton Valence)
Archie Benson (Gloucester & Dean Close)
Jenson Boughton (Gloucester & Hartpury College)
Joe Browning (Leicester Tigers & Denstone College)
Jack Clement (Gloucester & Cheltenham College)
Phil Cokanasiga (London Irish & St Paul’s Catholic College)
Tom Curtis (Sale Sharks & Sedbergh)
Harry Fry (Gloucester & Hartpury College)
Josh Gray (Gloucester & Dean Close)
Luke Green (London Irish & St Paul’s Catholic College)
Louis Hillman-Cooper (Gloucester & Cheltenham College)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers & Brooksby Melton College)
Nahum Merigan (Bath & Beechen Cliff)
Raphael Quirke (Sale Sharks & St Ambrose College)
Sam Riley (Harlequins & St George’s, Weybridge)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks & Wirral Grammar)
John Stewart (Bath & Beechen Cliff)
Will Trenholm (Harlequins & Cranleigh)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers & Oakham)
Jude Williams (Wasps & Caterham)
George Worboys (Bath & Beechen Cliff)
England U18 v France – Cheshunt RFC, Sunday 24th March, 2pm
Alfie Barbeary (Wasps & Bloxham)
George Barton (Gloucester & Dean Close)
Harvey Beaton (Saracens & Sutton Valence)
Archie Benson (Gloucester & Dean Close)
Jack Clement (Gloucester & Cheltenham College)
Tom Curtis (Sale Sharks & Sedbergh)
Theodore Dan (Saracens & Alleyn’s)
Josh Gillespie (Northampton Saints & Millfield)
Josh Gray (Gloucester & Dean Close)
James Harper (Sale Sharks & Merchant Taylor’s)
Louis Hillman-Cooper (Gloucester & Cheltenham College)
Joe Howard (Gloucester & Hartpury College)
Louis Lynagh (Harlequins & Hampton)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers & Brooksby Melton College)
Chunya Munga (London Irish & Leighton Park)
Zac Nearchou (Wasps & Radley College)
Max Ojomoh (Bath & KES Bath)
Raphael Quirke (Sale Sharks & St Ambrose College)
Jack Reid (Harlequins & Wellington College)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks & Wirral Grammar)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers & Norwich)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers & Oakham)
James Whitcombe (Leicester Tigers & Woodhouse Grove)