Four Warriors players have been included in an England Under-20s training squad to prepare for this season’s Under-20s Six Nations and the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Argentina in late May/June.
Blindside flanker Ted Hill, who has already been capped by England at senior level, will be joined by his Three Pears Warriors Academy team-mates Kai Owen, James Scott and Ollie Lawrence in the camp at Loughborough University from Friday November 30 to Sunday December 2.
Hill, lock Scott and centre Lawrence have already been capped by England at Under-20s level but loosehead prop, who made his Warriors debut as a replacement in last month’s European Challenge Cup win over Stade Francais in Paris, is an international newcomer.
The camp will give pathway coaches an opportunity to assess players further ahead of U20 Elite Player Squad (EPS) selection in January and also give them an opportunity to discuss playing themes and principles for the season ahead.
England Under-20s Head Coach Steve Bates saoid: “The development camp gives us an opportunity to cover some basic details with a larger number of players who could all be required at various points during the Six Nations.
“It also gives us a chance to look closely at the wider group and players outside of the 32-man EPS who might be used during the international season.
“We’ve selected the training squad through a combined effort of working with the academy management and watching the players over the past few months.
“We want the players to have high energy, a desire to play the game quickly and with a degree of flexibility. We’d like them to quickly adapt to playing with new players and to have different ideas about how to play.”
England Under-20s open their Six Nations campaign against Ireland at the Irish Independent Park in Cork on Friday February 1.
The side then take on France on February 9 at Sandy Park followed by a trip to the ZipWorld Stadium in Colwyn Bay to face Wales on February22, before a second home fixture of the tournament with the side playing Italy on March 8 at Bedford Blues’ Goldington Road.
The final match be against Scotland on March 15 at Northampton Saints’ Franklin’s Gardens.
Forwards:
Ollie Adkins (Gloucester Rugby), Josh Basham (Durham University), Will Capon (Bristol Bears), Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs), Andy Christie (Saracens), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Nic Dolly (Sale Sharks), Ben Donnell (London Irish), James Dun (Bristol Bears), Taylor Gough (Leicester Tigers), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors), Aaron Hinkley (Gloucester Rugby), Joel Kpoku (Saracens), Jon Kpoku (Saracens), Samson Ma’asi (Northampton Saints), Tom Marshall (Newcastle Falcons), Kai Owen (Worcester Warriors), Alfie Petch (Exeter Chiefs), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), James Scott (Worcester Warriors), Marcus Street (Exeter Chiefs), Rusiate Tuima (Exeter Chiefs), Tom Willis (Wasps).
Backs:
Tom De Glanville (Bath Rugby), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Connor Doherty (Sale Sharks), Reece Dunn (Gloucester Rugby), Ollie Fox (Yorkshire Carnegie), Tom Hardwick (Leicester Tigers), Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish), Josh Hodge (Newcastle Falcons), Luke James (Sale Sharks), Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors), Sam Maunder (Exeter Chiefs), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Cam Nordli-Kelemeti (Newcastle Falcons), Cameron Redpath (Sale Sharks), Arron Reed (Sale Sharks), Tom Seabrook (Gloucester Rugby), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints), Will Simonds (Wasps), Manu Vunipola (Saracens), Gus Warr (Sale Sharks), Kieran Wilkinson (Sale Sharks).