Four in England U18s squad
By Mark Stevens
20/2/18
Four members of the Exeter Chiefs Academy squad have been by England Under-18s in their 2018 squad.
Forwards Alfie Petch, Richard Capstick and Rus Tuima, along with scrum-half Sam Maunder, were all confirmed in a 42-man squad on Monday.
England U18s will open their season against France at Stade Jean Rolland, in Digne-les-Bains on March 3.
Fixtures against Scotland on March 18 at Stirling County RFC (KO 12pm) and Wales on March 18 at Sardis Road, Pontypridd (KO 4.15pm) then follow before the ‘Six Nations Festival’.
Based in Wales, England U18s will play Scotland at Ystrad Mynach (31 March), Italy at Cardiff Arms Park (4 April) and France at the same venue on 8 April. Kick off times are to be confirmed.
An England regional academy U17s squad for 2018 has also been announced with camps in February and April, before a training fixture against Scotland on 22 April in Newcastle.
England U18 head coach John Fletcher said: “We’ve coached and assessed players in our pre-Christmas camps as well as watching the seven rounds of U18 academy games, and have come up with a group of exciting young players.
“Along with their regional academies we want to support them with their individual development and expose them to an international environment, which we will be doing over the next six games. Everyone will get an opportunity to play a significant role in the games. This is the start of their international journey and we want them to go out and have fun and express themselves.
“The CARDS (Creativity, Awareness, Resilience, Decision making and Self-organising) are the priority skills of the U18 programme. We feel they are the most important skills for this stage in their development so they will be the centre of everything we do on and off the pitch. It’s great to see so many of last year’s group involved with England U20s, however, there always needs to be an opportunity for those that are developing later to also be given a chance.”
England U18 squad
Backs
Harry Barlow, Harlequins, Cranleigh School
George Barton, Gloucester Rugby, Dean Close School
Tom de Glanville, Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff School
Connor Doherty, Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School
Reece Dunn, Gloucester Rugby, St Peter's High School
Josh Hodge, Newcastle Falcons, Sedbergh School
Cameron Kelemeti, Newcastle Falcons, Durham School
Ollie Lawrence, Worcester Warriors, Bromsgrove School
Jacob Morris, Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College
Morgan Passman, Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth Academy
Sam Maunder, Exeter Chiefs, Blundell's School
Blake Boyland, Bristol Rugby, Filton College
Cameron Redpath, Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School
Jack Reeves, Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College
Will Simonds, Wasps, The Henley College
Ollie Sleightholme, Northampton Saints, Northampton School for Boys
Sam Spink, Wasps, Wellington College
Manu Vunipola, Saracens, Harrow School
Kieran Wilkinson, Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School
Forwards
Ollie Adkins, Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College
Alfie Barbeary, Wasps, Bloxham School
Jack Bartlett, Gloucester Rugby
Rouban Birch, Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School
Will Capon, Bristol Rugby, Bristol Grammar School
Richard Capstick, Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College
Ben Donnell, London Irish, Peter Symonds College
Sam Dugdale, Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School
Rob Farrar, Newcastle Falcons, Sedbergh School
Cal Ford, Sale Sharks, Sandbach School
Lewis Holsey, Worcester Warriors, Solihull School
Tom Jeanes, Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff School
Cameron Jordan, Leicester Tigers, Oakham School
Ted Leatherbarrow, Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School
Samson Ma'asi, Northampton Saints, St Josephs
Tom Marshall, Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth Academy
George Martin, Leicester Tigers, Brooksby Melton College
Will Montgomery, Newcastle Falcons, Kirkbie Kendal School
Alfie Petch, Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College
Kapeli Pifeleti, Saracens, Haileybury School
Bevan Rodd, Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School
JJ Tonks, Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College
Rus Tuima, Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College