Kitchener plays Dan James Memorial

Worcester Warriors lock Graham Kitchener climbed off the replacements bench but could not stop England’s preparations for the IRB Toshiba Junior World Championship starting with an untidy 23-20 defeat in a Dan James memorial game against Loughborough Students.

The England Under 20 side arrived in the Midlands yesterday after a six-week break at the end of the Six Nations and looked predictably rusty as they went straight into the game against a talented student side.

Calum Clark (Leeds Carnegie) and Luke Eves (Bristol Rugby) scored England’s tries, with Rob Miller converting both and kicking a penalty with his Newcastle Falcons teammate Rory Clegg adding another in the second half.

For Loughborough, centre James Golledge finished off a counter-attack that was the move of the match, and prop Tom Urpens forced his way over from the back of a lineout. Grant Pointer converted both and kicked a penalty with Henry Pyrgos stroking over two more after the interval.

The match celebrated the life of Dan James, who died last September 18 months after he was paralysed in a training ground accident.

A minute’s applause before kick-off honoured the England Students hooker who played in two BUSA Championship-winning Loughborough teams, scoring two tries in the 2006 final against Bath.

Money raised from ticket sales is going to the Dan James Trust, which supports spinal injury research, and parents Mark and Julie presented a cup in Dan’s memory to Loughborough captain Evan Stewart.

The England squad are together for six days of preparation in Loughborough and meet up again to fly to Tokyo on May 27.

They play Japan (June 5), Scotland (June 9) and Samoa (June 13) in the pool stages with the semi final and final rounds following on June 17 and 21.

England Under 20: Rory Clegg (Newcastle Falcons); Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby), George Lowe (Harlequins), Greig Tonks (Leicester Tigers), Jack Cobden (Leicester Tigers), Rob Miller (Newcastle Falcons), Dave Lewis (Gloucester Rugby); Joe Marler (Harlequins), James Clark (London Irish), Bob Baker (London Wasps), James Gaskell (Sale Sharks), Dan Williams (Gloucester Rugby), Chris York (Harlequins), Calum Clark (Leeds Carnegie), Carl Fearns (Sale Sharks).
Replacements used: Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs), Shaun Knight (Gloucester Rugby), Graham Kitchener (Worcester Warriors), Jamie George (Saracens), Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby), Will Hurrell (Leicester Tigers), Jordi Pasqualin (Gloucester Rugby), Luke Eves (Bristol Rugby), Jacob Rowan (Leeds Carnegie).


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