Ben Donnell Proof#1

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England U18s name 2018 squad 19 February 2018, 14:52 •Jones calls up 29 players ahead of Scotland - more •Schedule announced for World Rugby U20 Championship England U18s have named their 2018 squad while their first six fixtures for the season have also been confirmed.

The 42-player squad features six members of the England U18 group that toured South Africa last August including Cameron Redpath who also won his first U20 cap versus Wales in the Six Nations earlier this month.

Other members of that tour group include: Will Capon, Richard Capstick, Tom de Glanville, Sam Spink and Kieran Wilkinson.

Several of last season’s U18 squad have gone on to progress through the pathway and into the U20 set up for the 2018 Six Nations with Joe Heyes, Beck Cutting, James Scott, Josh Basham, Sam Moore, Tom Willis, Tom Seabrook, Tom Hardwick and Fraser Dingwall named in the 32-man U20 Elite Player Squad for 2018.

England U18s will open their season against France at Stade Jean Rolland, in Digne-les-Bains on 3 March (KO 3pm local time, 2pm GMT).

Fixtures against Scotland on 18 March at Stirling County RFC (KO 12pm) and Wales on 25 March at Sardis Road, Pontypridd (KO 4.15pm) then follow before the ‘Six Nations Festival’.

Based in Wales, England U18s will play Scotland at Ystrad Mynach (31 March), Italy at Cardiff Arms Park (4 April) and France at the same venue on 8 April. Kick off times are to be confirmed.

An England regional academy U17s squad for 2018 has also been announced with camps in February and April, before a training fixture against Scotland on 22 April in Newcastle.

“We’ve coached and assessed players in our pre-Christmas

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camps as well as watching the seven rounds of U18 academy games, and have come up with a group of exciting young players,” said England U18 head coach John Fletcher.

“Along with their regional academies we want to support them with their individual development and expose them to an international environment, which we will be doing over the next six games. Everyone will get an opportunity to play a significant role in the games.

“This is the start of their international journey and we want them to go out and have fun and express themselves.

“The CARDS (Creativity, Awareness, Resilience, Decision making and Self-organising) are the priority skills of the U18 programme. We feel they are the most important skills for this stage in their development so they will be the centre of everything we do on and off the pitch.

“It’s great to see so many of last year’s group involved with England U20s, however, there always needs to be an opportunity for those that are developing later to also be given a chance.”

England U18 squad Backs Harry Barlow, Harlequins, Cranleigh School George Barton, Gloucester Rugby, Dean Close School Tom de Glanville, Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff School Connor Doherty, Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School Reece Dunn, Gloucester Rugby, St Peter’s High School Josh Hodge, Newcastle Falcons, Sedbergh School Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, Newcastle Falcons, Durham School Ollie Lawrence, Worcester Warriors, Bromsgrove School Jacob Morris, Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College Morgan Passman, Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth Academy Sam Maunder, Exeter Chiefs, Blundell’s School Blake Boyland, Bristol Rugby, Filton College Cameron Redpath, Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School Jack Reeves, Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College Will Simonds, Wasps, The Henley College Ollie Sleightholme, Northampton Saints, Northampton School for Boys Sam Spink, Wasps, Wellington College Manu Vunipola, Saracens, Harrow School Kieran Wilkinson, Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School Forwards Ollie Adkins, Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College Alfie Barbeary, Wasps, Bloxham School Jack Bartlett, Gloucester Rugby Rouban Birch, Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School Will Capon, Bristol Rugby, Bristol Grammar School

Richard Capstick, Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College Ben Donnell, London Irish, Peter Symonds College Sam Dugdale, Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School Rob Farrar, Newcastle Falcons, Sedbergh School Cal Ford, Sale Sharks, Sandbach School Lewis Holsey, Worcester Warriors, Solihull School Tom Jeanes, Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff School Cameron Jordan, Leicester Tigers, Oakham School Ted Leatherbarrow, Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School Samson Ma’asi, Northampton Saints, St Josephs Tom Marshall, Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth Academy George Martin, Leicester Tigers, Brooksby Melton College Will Montgomery, Newcastle Falcons, Kirkbie Kendal School Alfie Petch, Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College Kapeli Pifeleti, Saracens, Haileybury School Bevan Rodd, Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School JJ Tonks, Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College Rus Tuima, Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College

England U18s beaten by Scotland 31 March 2018, 13:53 England: Tries - Rodd, Sleightholme, Dunn, Reeves 2 Cons Dunn Scotland: Tries - Sofolarin 2, Blain 2, McCallum Cons - Lancaster 2 Pens - Lancaster.

England were beaten 32-27 by Scotland in their opening fixture of the Six Nations Festival in Wales.

England led 15-5 at the break through tries from Alfie Barbeary, Ollie Sleightholme and Reece Dunn with Scotland responding via Femi Sofolarin.

A Jack Reeves double, which Dunn converted, a score for Scotland’s Jack Blain and a second from Sofolarin took the score to 27-15. However, Dan Lancaster converted Robbie McCallum’s try and Blain’s brace which was also converted took the score to 29-27. A late Lancaster penalty sealed victory.

Barbeary bundles over England were ahead inside five minutes after an early penalty was kicked to the corner and from the resulting lineout Barbeary bundled over.

Sleightholme went over in the corner as did full back Dunn on the opposite wing. Scotland responded just before half time with

replacement Sofolarin showing good agility to dive over in the corner. Second-half fightback After the break Reeves scored in the corner after good work from England’s three-quarters to take their lead to 20-5. Blain scored a fine individual try on the left wing while England’s Reeves burst through midfield for a second which Dunn converted before Scotland’s fightback.

Sofolarin scored a second when collecting a cross-field kick and McCallum jinked through midfield for a fourth Scotland try.

Blain went over in the corner to level the score with Lancaster’s conversion and late penalty sealing the win.

It was England’s first match of the Six Nations Festival in Wales with fixtures against Italy at Cardiff Arms Park (4 April, KO 12pm) and France at the same venue on 8 April (KO 5pm) to come. England U18s head coach John Fletcher said: “A lot of credit has to go to Scotland, they came out in that second half and put us under a lot of pressure both sides of the ball. They were the strongest team towards the end of the game and that is often the deciding factor, especially in tight games.

“We were pretty sloppy today, in attack we also left quite a lot out there and defensively we are disappointed with some of the tries Scotland scored.

“Some of our decision making was not at the level we would expect, a lot of that would be around information.

“Win, lose or draw there are always things to take out of the game. The players will reflect on the game, they are bitterly disappointed and we didn’t lose through lack of effort. In attack we created plenty of opportunities but in defence we conceded some tries that are just not like us.”

England U18s defeated by Italy 04 April 2018, 13:33 •England: Tries - Sleightholme, Barbeary 2, Penalty Cons - Barton Pens - Barton 2 •Italy: Tries - Drudi, Moscardi, Batista Cons - Garbisi Pens Garbisi 4, Peruzzo England U18s were beaten in their second match of the Six Nations Festival, losing 32-30 to Italy at Cardiff Arms Park.

Italy led 14-3 at the break, with three penalties from Paolo Garbisi and a try for Matteo Drudi, while George Barton kicked England’s only points. England scored second half tries through Ollie Sleightholme and a brace for Alfie Barbeary, as well as a penalty try but scores for Matteo Moscardi and Albert Batista helped seal victory for Italy. After three early penalties for Garbisi, Italy had the first try of the game with prop Drudi barging over off the back of a ruck on the half hour for 14-0. Barton had England’s first points just before half-time, sending over a penalty to reduce the deficit and after the break a second kick took the score to 14-6. After a further Italy penalty, England had their first try of the game with Sleightholme going over in the left corner after Bevan Rodd’s initial break. Italy responded immediately with Moscardi scoring under the posts which Garbisi converted for 24-11. A smart lineout drill resulted in Barbeary crossing for England but Michele Peruzzo’s penalty stretched Italy’s lead. Barbeary barged over for a second, which Hodge converted, however, Batista intercepted a loose pass to dot down.

A penalty try for England saw the deficit reduced to just two points, while Italy were also reduced to 14 men but time ran out for John Fletcher’s side. England, who were defeated by Scotland in the tournament opener on Saturday, end their tournament against France on 8 April (KO 5pm) at Cardiff Arms Park. “I thought our first half performance was really poor,” said letcher. “We lacked energy, our decision making wasn’t great and we missed opportunities to kick and put them under pressure.

“We were a lot better in the second half, our bench made a big impact and they gave us a lot of go forward which allowed us to play off momentum. “We scored some good tries, but left a few out there through poor decision making. However, these are young players and they will learn a lot from the experience and we’ll support them when we analyse the game. “They will be bitterly disappointed when they watch it back, but credit to Italy, they are improving each year. At age group level they are among equals, we didn’t underestimate them, however had we played as well in the first half as we did in the second half then we could have seen a different result.”

England U18s lose to France in Six Nations Festival 08 April 2018, 18:32 •England: Tries - Tonks, Montgomery Cons - Hodge 2 •France: Tries - Costosseque, Joseph, Penalty Cons - Brosset 2 Pens - Brosset England U18s were beaten 24-14 by France in their final game of the Six Nations Festival in Wales.

John Fletcher’s side headed into Sunday’s fixture at the Cardiff Arms Park off the back of two narrow defeats to Scotland and Italy in the development tournament. England trailed 10-0 at half-time through a converted Theo Costosseque try and Remi Brosset’s penalty. Second half tries from JJ Tonks and Will Montgomery gave England the lead before a Jordan Joseph score and a penalty try won the game for France. France had the first points of the game with Brosset sending over a penalty in what was an even start to the match. Their first try came through Costosseque after he finished off a French break down the right wing from inside their own half which Brosset converted. Erwan Dridi should have scored before the break to extend the lead further but did not ground the ball correctly in the final action of the half. George Martin’s break through midfield took England to within five metres of France’s tryline but the ball was knocked on in contact and the pressure alleviated. Tonks finished off persistent England pressure inside France’s 22m to get England back in the game and Hodge’s conversion narrowed the deficit to three points. Montgomery barged over from close range for a second England try which Hodge converted for a 1410 lead, but France No 8 Joseph crashed his way over for their second try and Viallard sent over the extras to take the score to 17-14. A penalty try soon after extended the lead further and France held on for victory. “It was a much-improved performance,” said Fletcher. “I thought it was a really good advert for U18s rugby and was played with a really good intent. “We went ahead with not many minutes to go and were unfortunate to lose the game. “We’ve played well in the first half against Scotland, the second half against Italy and we performed well for most of this game. “These are young players and they are in an environment where they are encouraged to try things and they will learn lots from these three games. “We’ve enjoyed coaching them and spending time with the players over the past 10 days and lots of them will go on to do really good things with the U20s. A few are back with us next year so we are excited about that and the past three games would have been hugely beneficial for their development.”

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