Action at Hartpury College

JOHN McKenzie of Lancashire will captain England Counties Under 18s in their opening match of the International Triangular Festival against a France Under 18 team at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire on Saturday March 28 (7.30pm).

The lock, who plays for Runshaw College and the Preston Grasshoppers club, will lead a side that produced a spirited performance in their 33-5 defeat by Leicester Tigers Academy Under 19s at Oval Park last Saturday.

Back row forward Max Hill, who missed the Leicester match with ankle injury, has recovered and has been named among the replacements along with centre Aaron Martin, who hobbled out of the Leicester match with a bang to an ankle.

England Counties Under 18s will face a France team selected from their regional academies and will bring the curtain down on the Festival when they play Ireland Clubs Under 18sat Hartpury on April 4 (11am).

The French and Irish teams will meet at Hartpury in the second match of the Festival on April 1 (2pm).

15 James Spencer (Queen Elizabeth GS, Penrith RFC and Cumbria)

14 Myles Bean (King Edward VI School, Bedford Blues RFC and Warwickshire)

13 Connor Hayhow (St Paul’s School, Bracknell RFC and Berkshire)

12 William Newett (Leeds GS and Yorkshire)

11 Benjamin Usher (The Priory Academy, Newark RFC and Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire),

10 James Shillcock (Warwick School, Worcester RFC and Warwickshire)

9 Ruaridh Dawson (Newcastle School for Boys, Blaydon RFC and Northumberland)

1 Harrison Berresford (Hautlieu School, Jersey RFC and Hampshire),

2 Tom Doughty (St Bartholomews School, Hove RFC and Sussex)

3 Jack Conteh (Myerscough College, Sale Sharks and Lancashire)

4 John McKenzie (Runshaw College, Preston Grasshoppers RFC and Lancashire) – captain

5 Joshua Novell (Bedes School, Crowborough RFC and Sussex)

6 Joseph Duffy (Myerscough College, Sale Sharks and Lancashire)

7 Matthew Palphreyman (Wirral GS, Wirral RFC and Cheshire)

8 Dylan Morris (Reed’s School, Wimbledon RFC and Surrey)

Replacements: John Whittaker (Sandbach School, Sandbach RFC and Cheshire), Owen MacCuish (Sandbach School, Sandbach RFC and Cheshire), Kiaran Knight (St Peter’s School, Matson RFC and Gloucestershire), Cameron Gray (The Oratory School, Maidenhead RFC and Berkshire), Justin Rowland (George Abbot School, Chobham RFC and Surrey), Max Hill (Worcester Sixth Form College, Malvern RFC and North Midlands),  Jacob Atkins( St Pauls School, Bracknell RFC and Berkshire), Fergus Wood (Ardingly College, Hove RFC and Sussex), Aaron Martin (Bilton School, Bedford Blues RFC and Warwickshire).