Warriors youngster Andrew Boyce has been named at flanker by England Under 18 coaches John Fletcher, Peter Walton and Ian Peel as the side take on Portugal in the FIRA/AER European Championship tonight (kick off 6pm GMT) in Grenoble.
England won the competition in 2012 after beating Georgia, Wales and Ireland in Madrid, and captain Charlie Ewels, who played last year, is expecting another tough test.
He said: “We’ll give Portugal the credit and respect that they deserve, we know that it will be a difficult game, particularly as it’s the first one but we’ve prepared well and I’m confident in the players.
“Being captain is a massive honour and it’ll be amazing to lead the guys out, but the most important thing is our performance and everything else will follow on from that.”
England U18 starting team
15 Louis Clayton-Molloy (London Wasps & Harrow School)
14 George Perkins (Saracens & Oaklands College)
13 Lucas Slowik (Bristol Rugby & Filton College)
12 Tom Fowlie (London Irish & St Pauls Catholic College)
11 Josh Skelcey (Northampton Saints & Moulton College)
10 Rory Jennings (Bath Rugby & Bryanston School)
9 James Mitchell (Sale Sharks & Lymm School)
1 Lewis Boyce (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry’s Grammar)
2 Sam James (Saracens & Bishops Stortford)
3 Neale Farthing (Leicester Tigers & Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College)
4 Charlie Hewitt (Exeter Chiefs & Ivybridge College)
5 Josh Peters (Northampton Saints & Oundle School)
6 Matt Bolwell (Exeter Chiefs & Truro College)
7 Andrew Boyce (Worcester Warriors & Kings Worcester)
8 Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby & Bryanston School) (Capt)
Replacements
16 Jack Walker (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry’s Grammar)
17 Luke Chapman (Exeter Chiefs & Truro College)
18 Paul Hill (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry’s Grammar)
19 James Chisholm (Harlequins & Brighton College)
20 Andrew Hughes (Sale Sharks & Hartpury College)
21 Stuart Townsend (Exeter Chiefs & Ivybridge College)
22 Nick Tompkins (Saracens & Oaklands College)
23 Howard Packman (Northampton Saints & Moulton College)
24 Jordan Onjoaife (Northampton Saints & Stowe School)
25 Josh Sharp (Saracens & Oaklands College)
26 Tom Howe (London Wasps & Shiplake College)