England U18 Squad for SA tournament

[fivepointer]

Lost to SA 14-39.

Resultswise not a great tour.

[Puja]

Was this not a vintage group or something?

Puja

[Margin_Walker]

Maybe not, but I always take these SA tour results with a pinch of salt even if there do seem to be fewer stand out prospects. Getting beaten by SA especially, doesn't always mean it's a poor group. SA do schoolboy rugby very well and there will be an age difference by virtue of the way the school years are structured.

It's the start of the season for these Eng lads who will all be 17 or under with the most about to start their final year of school next month. The SA boys started their final year in January, so will include 18 year olds.

I guess we'll see where we are in the 6N with respect to Ireland.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Was this not a vintage group or something?

Puja

Got to factor it’s effectively a Lower 6th and fifth form end of year tour a few months after the end of the season. As Margin says, pinch of salt. There are some very good players in this year group.

[Slater582]

Daniel Schofield in the Telegraph wrote this last Thursday.

England Under-20s won their first World Championship title in eight years in the summer while the potential of the current Under-18 group is being spoken about in hushed tones around Twickenham.

Hopefully the U20 side this year were not a one-off

[Banquo]

Daniel Schofield in the Telegraph wrote this last Thursday.

England Under-20s won their first World Championship title in eight years in the summer while the potential of the current Under-18 group is being spoken about in hushed tones around Twickenham.

Hopefully the U20 side this year were not a one-off

An awful lot will still be u20’s this season…

[twitchy]

Does "hushed tones" imply good or bad? I'm thinking bad but it could be "whisper it quietly" which is always good.

[fivepointer]

I take hushed tones to mean people are quietly pretty excited by this group of players.

We'l see how they develop. Think they play u18s this season with a festival in April and then graduate so there's plenty of scope to see them mature.

[Epaminondas Pules]

It’s a bit of a broad brush U18 statement probably. There’s those who have graduated U18s this season who include some very special prospects in decent numbers, with a very good crop behind them. They didn’t sparkle as they could in the summer, but take that with a big pinch of salt.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Daniel Schofield in the Telegraph wrote this last Thursday.

England Under-20s won their first World Championship title in eight years in the summer while the potential of the current Under-18 group is being spoken about in hushed tones around Twickenham.

Hopefully the U20 side this year were not a one-off

An awful lot will still be u20’s this season…

Certainly will. We’ll lose quite a few, but have very suitable replacements coming up, plus those who didn’t make the U20 WC squad but have a year of senior rugby under their belts.

[Epaminondas Pules]

I will try and ping this together when I’ve actually got some time at home, but you should be pretty excited about what’s coming. There are others at other nations who have stardust , but not to the volume that we have by a distance.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Right, finally getting around to this. There's a lot of buzz around the conveyor belt at the moment, and obviously off the back of a world cup win we want to see that continued success. We're losing some very, very good players from this age group, but their replacements are more than able to step into those huge shoes! So here's some reasons why you should be pretty excited from a players and depth perspective.

Loosehead:

Arguably the weakest position for the upcoming cohort. That is caveated by saying, weak in this crop is not a detrimental statement. It's kind of like saying the least amazing! McEachran, ex of the London Irish parish, has made great waves, and played U19s this last season, and has a full season of adult rugby under his belt. He'll likely be the No1 loosehead this season. In Miller, Mann and Dye we have three very promising looseheads graduating into U20 land, Miller being part of the entire Quins U18 front row that got senior contracts. Josh Mann, probably the standout from that group of recent school leavers.

Ralph McEachran (Sale Sharks)
Jamie Miller (Harlequins)
Josh Mann (Exeter Chiefs)
Tom Dye (Northampton Saints)

Starter: Ralph McEachran

Hooker:

Oliver was part of the U20 world cup squad as 3rd hooker, but behind him we have just the most ridiculous set of hookers graduating into senior rugby. Everyone will likely know Kepu Tuipolotu, who has mixed between hooker and backrow for Harrow, but very unlikely to play anywhere but hooker at Bath. He and Sela could well form a partnership in BUCS this coming season. If Sela continues to play BUCS. Staples and Longstaff both competed with Kepu for the England 2 shirt, with Longstaff playing England U19s this last season whilst still at school, before moving from Yorkshire Academy to the Sale Sharks Senior Academy. It is really hard to pick between them all, though Kepu edges it, which tells you how good Staples and Longstaff are! Of note also, Tom Davis, who was fabulous for Sale U18s though did not get international recognition, frankly due to the insane talent around his age group. There's good reason why Sale gave him a senior academy contract as well as signing Longstaff. Sol Moody is a year older, but also played England U19, understudying for Longstaff.

Jacob Oliver (Newcastle Falcons)
Jimmy Staples (Harlequins)
Alfie Longstaff (Sale Sharks)
Kepu Tuipolotu (Bath)
Tom Davis (Sale Sharks)
Sol Moody (Exeter Chiefs)

Starter: Kepu Tuipolotu

Tighthead:

Billy Sela needs no introduction at all. A future international if ever there was one! Raymont will offer stiff competition, whilst in Streeter, Graham and Lightbown we have just a conveyor belt of tightheads! Also graduating to senior are Sonny Tongahuia and Tobuna Maka, who have both been around England camps and squads. They are both absolute monsters, if maybe relying on power over technique. If they focus on technique then both could easily make inroads. Regardless they'll be fun to follow.

Billy Sela (Bath)
Tye Raymont (Sale Sharks)
Sam Graham (Newcastle Falcons)
Ollie Streeter (Harlequins)
Jack Lightbown (Sale Sharks)
Sonny Tongahuia (Northampton Saints)
Tobuna Maka (Leicester Tigers)

Starter: Billy Sela

Lock:

Last season was good. This year is even better. Burrow, Sodeke and Kpoku are still around, but joined by Adegbemile who was a true standout at U18s. Also coming up are Ainsworrth-Cave and Beckerleg, the latter also played England U19 this last year.

Also worth noting a couple of still U18 players who could well get a sniff of U20 rugby in Patrick Hogg and Jonno Balding. Our lock stocks are more than awash with serious talent. Hogg often plays 6 as well, which should delight the board!

Tom Burrow (Sale)
Olamide Sodeke (Saracens)
Junior Kpoku (Racing 92)
Tayo Adegbemile (Saracens)
Aiden Ainsworth-Cave (Northampton Saints)
Oscar Beckerleg (Exeter) U19
Jonno Balding* (Gloucester)
Patrick Hogg* (Newcastle Falcons)

Starters: Junior Kpoku, Tom Burrow

Backrow:

Plenty of World Cup winning talent still around, although the loss of Carnduff and Michelow will be hard to replace. Expect Pollock to take the captaincy. He may well get club company from Reuben Logan who played U20s this year, with some very good backrow talent graduating. Seb Kelly, brother of Dan, is a very exiciting prospect, as is Treacey who stood out for Bath U18 and England U18 this season. Shand usually occupied the 8 berth, with Treacey shifting to flank. He's signed for Montpellier, but will still be able to play U20s for England like Kpoku. Charlie West is a decent openside, with U18 caps to his name. Will obviously struggle to oust Pollock, but worth keeping an eye on. Kelly, Treacey and West can all play openside.

Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Kane James (Exeter)
George Timmins (Bath)
Reuben Logan (Northampton Saints)
Connor Treacey (Bath)
Seb Kelly (Sale Sharks)
Solomon Shand (Montpellier)
Charlie West (Saracens)

Starters: Reuben Logan, Henry Pollock, Kane James

Scrum Half:

Stocks at 9 are in good shape with Archie McParland and also the outstanding Lucas Friday in the mix. Jonny Weimann, who was released by Saracens at 16, has grown hugely at six form and been rewarded with a number of England U18 caps. Worth noting Hanson too, who also played up at England U19 this season.

Archie McParland (Northampton Saints)
Lucas Friday (Harlequins)
Jonny Weimann (Northampton Saints)
Dom Hanson (Sale Sharks)

Starter: Archie McParland

Fly Half:

Definitely the weak link in the U20 squad last season, especially with the injuries to Rory Taylor, who is now too old. Bellamy is still there, albeit he dropped down the pecking order. However, Ollie Davies is now properly in the mix. But for injury he would have made the U20 world cup squad. He is a generational talent in terms of skillset. You should be very excited by him. He can also play 12, but you want his hands on the ball as much as possible. Drove Sale and Kirkham especially to real success. We may also see James Linegar play up for experience too. He and Davies could be battling for superiority for years to come.

Josh Bellamy (Harlequins)
Ollie Davies (Sale Sharks)
Tom Threlfall (Leicester Tigers)
James Linegar* (Bath)

Starter: Ollie Davies

Centres:

Where to start! Probably to pointing out that a lot of the centres also play back three and vice versa. You all know Gus Hall, who can play anywhere from 12 out. At U18s he battled Nick Lilley for the 13 shirt, and it was Lilley who always won. Lilley is a classic 13, and is just a joy to watch, often dragging Exeter and England over the line almost single handedly. He's very special, and already called out by Rob Baxter as one to watch. Once again Engand have stardust in the backline, but this season they have the 9s and certainly 10s to truly exploit that! Campbell Ridl is one who also played England U19s last season, and is another behemoth centre, standing at 6'5". We could literally mix and match any of these players and be hyper competitive. We may also see glimpses of still U18s Rawlins and Bateman-Champain, who are the pick of the bunch behind.

Angus Hall (Saracens)
Charlie Myall (Leicester Tigers)
Nick Lilley (Exeter Chiefs)
Charlie Griffin (Bath)
Toby Baker (Bristol Bears)
Nick Allison (Exeter Chiefs)
Toby Wilson (Sale Sharks)
Campbell Ridl (Exeter Chiefs)
Fraser Rawlins* (Saracens)
Felix Bateman-Champain* (Harlequins)

Starters: Gus Hall, Nick Lilley

Back Three:

Pace and skill aplenty out here. Redshaw and Bracken will lead the way, and we may see centres like Hall or Griffin pushed out just to accommodate others. Glister and Byrne are very highly rated, whilst there are a number of purebred wingers who could easily slot in. I would keep an eye on Finn Newton who moved to Toulon post school. Also a note to Sam Winters the hugely talented Bath fullback and Noah Cauori who had a very good U18 South Africa tour. If anyone plays up I suspect it will be Winters. proper good he is.

Jack Bracken (Saracens)
Ben Redshaw (Newcastle Falcons)
Will Glister (Northampton Saints)
Conor Byrne (Harlequins)
Rafe Without (Northampton Saints)
Tyler Offiah (Bath)
George Pearson (Leicester Tigers)
Finn Newton (Toulon)
Sam Winters* (Bath)
Noah Caluori* (Exeter Chiefs)

Starters: Jack Bracken, Will Glister, Ben Redshaw

Although picking out who I think would be starting if I picked the side tomorrow, and all being fit, don't be surprised if the 6 Nations squad is a mixed bag as a few players may well be called into first team action. And I have left off quite a few pother players who would be worth noting, but it'd be a very long list indeed. Suffice to say, the England U20 side this year will be highly competitive in terms of getting picked, and very competitive on the pitch!

[Which Tyler]

Thank you for putting that together

[FKAS]

Thanks EP.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Thank you for putting that together

Ah, no problem. I enjoy it

I'll try and flash it out a little more when I get chance, just for a bit more info into some players that will be less known.

And of course, you're all closer to your clubs, so please feel free to add. There's a lot of very good young players. More than ever we need to pathway to really start working.

[fivepointer]

great insight, thanks EP

[Puja]

Top work EP; thanks so much.

Puja