Bosanko and Keys selected to start for England U18s

Exeter Chiefs Academy and Exeter College duo Charlie Bosanko (above) and Jeremey Keys will start for England U18s for their first 2026 Under-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival.

They will take on Ireland U18s at the Stade Municipal Louis Darragon, Vichy, for the first round of the tournament on Friday (KO 15:15) due to be streamed live on the Six Nations U20 YouTube channel.

Bosanko and Keys will be joined from the bench by fellow Academy and College team-mates Archie Guyver and Harry Westlake.

Twelve of the starting XV will make their Six Nations Festival debut this Friday, with all Pendlebury’s replacements also in line for their tournament debuts.

Head coach Jonathan Pendlebury said: “We’re looking forward to opening our tournament this Friday against Ireland. It’s exactly the kind of tight, physical battle that will challenge this group and accelerate their growth.

“At this stage of the pathway, our focus is firmly on development and getting better from match to match. Friday’s test, especially with a demanding contest across all areas of the game, will be invaluable for that.

“We want to see real relentlessness in our work-rate to our mindset, and this is a brilliant opportunity for the players to take another step forward together on their journey as a squad and as young rugby players.”

England U18s

15 Oli Hewitt (Gloucester Rugby, Bromsgrove School, 1 cap)
14 Caspar Reeves (Bristol Bears, Taunton School, 1 cap)
13 Charlie Bosanko (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College, 1 cap)
12 Declan Treacey (c) (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff School, 8 caps)
11 Charlie Tamani (Northampton Saints, Finborough School, 7 caps)
10 Zac Jones (Saracens, Mill Hill, 1 cap)
9 Will Bayston (Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School, 3 caps)
1 Aiden Reid (Northampton Saints, Northampton School for Boys, 4 caps)
2 Tiane Elone (Saracens, Mill Hill School, 1 cap)
3 Ben Smith (Yorkshire Academy, Wath Academy, 1 cap)
4 Fin Charles (Leicester Tigers, Denstone College, 1 cap)
5 Jeremy Keys (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College, 1 cap)
6 Kwame Bekoe (Leicester Tigers, Norwich School, 4 caps)
7 Jack Lewis (Northampton Saints, Northampton School for Boys, 6 caps)
8 Ben Allen (Bath Rugby, Wellington College, 1 cap)

Replacements:

16 Casper Wheeler (Bristol Bears, Hartpury College, 3 caps)
17 Hendro Hattingh (Sale Sharks, Scarisbrick School, 1 cap)
18 Seva Batikora (Leicester Tigers, Brooksby College, 3 caps)
19 Kaiden Watson (Harlequins, Trinity School, uncapped)
20 Harry Westlake (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College, 1 cap) (below)
21 Henry Johnson (Leicester Tigers, Oakham School, 1 cap)
22 Sonny Goode (Northampton Saints, Bloxham School, 3 caps)
23 Max Hooper (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff School, 1 cap)
24 Will Moore (Bristol Bears, Clifton College, uncapped)
25 Rio Bennett (Saracens, Brighton College, 1 cap)
26 Archie Guyver (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College, 1 cap)