Action at Hartpury College

ENGLAND Counties Under 18s will warm up for the forthcoming International Triangular Festival at Hartpury College by playing the Leicester Tigers Under 19 side at the Aviva Premiership club’s Oval Park training ground on Saturday March 21 (11am).

England finalised their 24-strong for the festival after a training session at Loughborough University last Sunday and will use Saturday’s match to prepare for their opening match in the Festival against a France Under 18 team  selected from their regional academies at Hartpury on March 28 (7.30pm).

England play Irish Clubs Under 18 in the festival finale at Hartpury College on April 4 (11am).

“We will get more of an idea of who comes to the party after the Leicester match but I am excited about the squad and  I was pleased with way that the squad gelled last weekend,” said Dave Reed, the England Counties Under 18s lead coach.

“They are a good bunch of lads, they have got good values and they have really bought into the sort of culture and environment we are trying to create.

“It’s a really short programme and they have got to pretty much buy into it straight away. It also has to be owned by them. We are not going to change lives in three weeks but we are going to give them the best rugby experience we possibly can.

“We seem to be a bit bigger in the forwards this year and we have some pace in the backs, especially the back three.

“They are a talented bunch and I thought last weekend we were probably a little bit ahead of where we were last year. That’s down that we had a very good Divisional Festival and the development programme within that festival really worked this year.

“We did skill specific sessions and played tens on the Friday instead of 15-a-side. So we mixed it up a bit and it certainly helped in the development of the players.”

England Counties Under 18s squad:

Backs:Jacob Atkins( St Pauls School, Bracknell RFC and Berkshire), Myles Bean (King Edward VI School, Bedford Blues RFC and Warwickshire), Ruaridh Dawson (Newcastle School for Boys, Blaydon RFC and Northumberland), Connor Hayhow (St Paul’s School, Bracknell RFC and Berkshire), Aaron Martin (Bilton School, Bedford Blues RFC and Warwickshire), William Newett (Leeds GS and Yorkshire), James Shillcock (Warwick School, Worcester RFC and Warwickshire), James Spencer (Queen Elizabeth GS, Penrith RFC and Cumbria), Benjamin Usher (The Priory Academy, Newark RFC and Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire), Fergus Wood (Ardingly College, Hove RFC and Sussex).

Forwards: Harrison Berresford (Hautlieu School, Jersey RFC and Hampshire), Jack Conteh (Myerscough College, Sale Sharks and Lancashire), Tom Doughty (St Bartholomews School, Hove RFC and Sussex), Joseph Duffy (Myerscough College, Sale Sharks and Lancashire), Cameron Gray (The Oratory School, Maidenhead RFC and Berkshire), Max Hill (Worcester Sixth Form College, Malvern RFC and North Midlands), Kiaran Knight (St Peter’s School, Matson RFC and Gloucestershire), Owen MacCuish (Sandbach School, Sandbach RFC and Cheshire), John McKenzie (Runshaw College, Preston Grasshoppers RFC and Lancashire), Dylan Morris (Reed’s School, Wimbledon RFC and Surrey), Joshua Novell (Bedes School, Crowborough RFC and Sussex), Matthew Palphreyman (Wirral GS, Wirral RFC and Cheshire), Justin Rowland (George Abbot School, Chobham RFC and Surrey), John Whittaker (Sandbach School, Sandbach RFC and Cheshire).