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LAMB AND IBITOYE START FOR ENGLAND IN U20S SEMI-FINAL Monday, 12th June 2017 @ 17:00 HARLEQUINS ACADEMY MEMBERS GABRIEL IBITOYE AND DINO LAMB HAVE BOTH BEEN NAMED TO START FOR ENGLAND AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA IN THE WORLD RUGBY U20S CHAMPIONSHIP ON TUESDAY, KICK-OFF 15:00 BST, LIVE ON ITV 4).

Ibitoye, who has five tries so far in the competition, is named on the left wing while Lamb is named at blindside flanker.

Max Malins again starts at fly-half while Wing Darren Atkins gets his first start of the tournament; the side will again be led by number eight Zach Mercer.

Alex Mitchell is chosen at scrum-half while Ben Earl join Lamb and Mercer in the backrow.

Theo Brophy Clews partners Will Butler in midfield and Tom Parton plays fullback.

“I want to see the guys go out there, enjoy themselves and to play with a lot of energy,” said Harlequins Academy Transition and England U20s assistant coach Tom Williams.

“This group has got huge character, they have shown it against Ireland to win the Grand Slam and they showed it against Australia to get us into this Semi-Final.”

England are unbeaten in the tournament, having sealed bonus-point victories against Samoa and Wales before defeating Australia in their final pool match.

They face South Africa in a repeat of last year’s Semi-Final and Williams is relishing the fixture.

“South Africa are an interesting team because they provide two separate type of challenges, they have a big forward pack and some quick and exciting backs.” he added.

Ibitoye is the joint top scorer of the tournament in Georgia and Williams hailed his performances while also recognising the

opportunity for Atkins, who was called into the Championship as a late injury replacement.

“I’m thrilled for Gabs, he’s fulfilling some of the promise he showed throughout his academy time at Quins,” he said.

“It’s a great opportunity for Darren, I feel for Paolo Odogwu who did a great job against Australia and produced a near faultless performance, however, Darren has a little bit more experience in the back three and that will help with South Africa’s kicking threat.”

England have called up James Grayson and England Sevens back Callum Sirker to cover for injuries, with Max Wright ruled out of the tournament.

“It’s disappointing to have lost Max, along with Ali Crossdale, Dom Morris and Sam Aspland-Robinson,” said Williams.

“They have made a huge contribution, however, the guys that have come in have done really well, helped fill the void and I’m sure James and Callum will do likewise.

“Having also seen five players called into the senior squad for Argentina, it shows the strength in depth that we have in the player pathway.”

LAMB AND IBITOYE START FOR ENGLAND WHILE ASPLAND-ROBINSON IS RULED OUT THROUGH INJURY Wednesday, 7th June 2017 @ 13:00 HARLEQUINS ACADEMY MEMBERS DINO LAMB AND GABRIEL IBITOYE WILL START FOR ENGLAND U20S AGAINST AUSTRALIA U20S IN THE FINAL POOL MATCH OF THE 2017 WORLD RUGBY U20 CHAMPIONSHIP ON THURSDAY (KICK-OFF 17:30 BST).

Lamb starts at blindside flanker while Ibitoye will be looking to add to his tally of four tries in the tournament on the left wing.

Fellow Academy player Sam Aspland-Robinson has been ruled

out for the remainder of the tournament due to a knee injury.

On the news of Aspland-Robinson’s injury, Head Coach Ian Vass said: “It’s hugely disappointing for Sam who has made a great contribution both in this tournament and for the U20s. We’re also disappointed to be losing a player of his quality.”

England U20s have so far recorded two bonus-point victories and next face Australia as they look to gain qualification into the semi-finals of the tournament.

Zach Mercer captains the side from number eight, while there is a first start for wing Paolo Odogwu.

“It’s been a short turnaround but training has been good and we’ve worked hard off the field more importantly,” said Vass.

“We’re confident in what we’re trying to achieve and that’s to get into a World Rugby U20 Championship semi-final.

“The competition is getting better with every game so we need to improve also and that’s what we’ve tried to achieve in training.

If we perform as we can, the result will take care of itself.”

England have beaten Samoa and Wales so far in Georgia and victory will guarantee a place in the last four of the tournament.

Two members of last year’s winning World Rugby U20 Championship side, Harry Randall and Max Malins, start at scrum-half and fly-half, while Theo Brophy Clews starts at centre.

Bath’s Darren Atkins is among the replacements and he could make his first appearance of the 2017 World Rugby U20 Championship, while Odogwu starts on the wing having been called up as an injury replacement for Ali Crossdale.

“It’s a really big opportunity for Paolo, he has played to a high level all year,” said Vass.

“He’s played in the Premiership so is highly capable and an exciting player. We want to try and get him on the ball because he is a good finisher and a dangerous attacking player.”

Australia are also unbeaten in the tournament and the two sides met each other in last year’s tournament at the same stage.

“Our aim is to win the game and if we do that we’re in the semi-final, but our primary concern is on performing well and beating Australia,” added Vass.

“They are tactically astute so we need to be on our toes as a team and react as well as adapt to whatever they are doing. They have had two tough games and have shown a mental edge to come through them.”

LAMB AND IBITOYE START IN ENGLAND U20S TOURNAMENT OPENER Tuesday, 30th May 2017 @ 09:30 HARLEQUINS ACADEMY MEMBERS GABRIEL IBITOYE

AND DINO LAMB WILL BOTH START IN ENGLAND’S OPENING MATCH OF THIS YEAR’S WORLD RUGBY U20 CHAMPIONSHIP. England U20s face Samoa U20s in the tournament opener in Georgia on Wednesday (kick-off 10:00 BST).

L England name side for World Rugby U20 Championship opener 30 May 2017, 09:19 World Rugby U20 Championship launches in Georgia Meet Ollie Dawe, England’s joker in the pack England have named their team for the opening match of this year’s World Rugby U20 Championship against Samoa (10am BST) in Georgia.

Bath number eight Zach Mercer captains the side, with Theo Brophy Clews a late withdrawal through injury.

Brophy Clews’ place in the side will be taken by Max Malins, while another member of last year’s winning World Rugby U20 Championship squad – Harry Randall – is among the replacements.

Harlequins’ Dino Lamb, capped eight times at England Under 18 level, makes his debut in the second row.

and score from anywhere on the field. They are very strong physically, carrying and tackling.”

The squad arrived in Tbilisi on Saturday and Vass says the side are eager to get the tournament started.

He added: “We want to see the lads put into practice everything we’ve been working on with them since before Christmas.

“We want to see them playing together as a team and defending as a team also working as hard as they can. If they do that then we have some good players who can make things happen. Really we just want them to put in a performance they can be pleased with.”

‘Leading by example’ Mercer will skipper England, and Vass says he expects the Bath forward to lead by example on Wednesday.

“Zach is one of more experienced players; he played in the tournament last year and has played a lot of Premiership games this year,” he said. “He talks a lot to the team and leads by example with his actions on the field.”

After missing out on England’s U20 Six Nations Grand Slam through injury, Saracens’ Ali Crossdale returns to make his debut on the wing.

Head coach Ian Vass says he is expecting a tough, physical battle from Samoa.

“We’ve picked a team we believe can do a job against Samoa, bearing in mind it’s a long tournament and everyone is going to have to play at some point,” said Vass.

“Samoa have a lot of talented individual players who can run

Vass, Louis Deacon and Tom Williams continue as England’s coaching team in Georgia, having joined the management as part of a new agreement with Premiership Rugby in which club coaches lead and develop the U20s while gaining experience in an international environment.

England will face familiar faces in their second fixture when they come up against Wales on Sunday, 4 June.

Australia, who were in England’s pool last year, are the opposition for their final pool game on Thursday, 8 June. mb, captained eight times by England U18s, was called up to the squad last week as injury cover for Leicester Tigers’ Will Evans and debuts in the second row. Ibitoye will start on the left wing after an impressive spell in the side during the Six Nations Grand Slam

earlier this season.

London Irish fly-half Theo Brophy-Clews captains the side, while two members of last year’s winning World Rugby U20 Championship squad – Max Malins and Harry Randall – are among the replacements.

After missing out on England’s U20 Six Nations Grand Slam through injury, Saracens’ Ali Crossdale returns to make his debut on the wing.

The match will be will be streamed live here with the highlights shown on ITV4 on Wednesday 31 May. Head coach Ian Vass says he is expecting a tough, physical battle from Samoa.

“We’ve picked a team we believe can do a job against Samoa, bearing in mind it’s a long tournament and everyone is going to have to play at some point,” said Vass.

“Samoa have a lot of talented individual players who can run and score from anywhere on the field. They are very strong physically, carrying and tackling.”

The squad arrived in Tbilisi on Saturday and Vass says the side are eager to get the tournament started.

He added: “We want to see the lads put into practice everything we’ve been working on with them since before Christmas.

“We want to see them playing together as a team and defending as a team also working as hard as they can. If they do that then we have some good players who can make things happen. Really we just want them to put in a performance they can be pleased with.”

Tour captain Zach Mercer is also named in the starting line-up, playing at number eight for England on Wednesday, and Vass says he expects the Bath forward to lead by example.

“Zach is one of more experienced players; he played in the tournament last year and has played a lot of Premiership games this year,” he said. “He talks a lot to the team and leads by example with his actions on the field.”

Vass, Louis Deacon and Harlequins’ own Tom Williams continue as England’s coaching team in Georgia, having joined the management as part of a new agreement with Premiership Rugby in which club coaches lead and develop the U20s while gaining experience in an international environment.

England will face familiar faces in their second fixture when they come up against Wales on Sunday 4th June.

Australia, who were in England’s pool last year, are the opposition for their final pool match on Thursday 8th June. (BST) in Georgia.

England name side for World Rugby U20 Championship opener 30 May 2017, 09:19 World Rugby U20 Championship launches in Georgia Meet Ollie Dawe, England’s joker in the pack England have named their team for the opening match of this year’s World Rugby U20 Championship against Samoa (10am Bath number eight Zach Mercer captains the side, with Theo Brophy Clews a late withdrawal through injury.

Brophy Clews’ place in the side will be taken by Max Malins, while another member of last year’s winning World Rugby U20 Championship squad – Harry Randall – is among the replacements.

Harlequins’ Dino Lamb, capped eight times at England Under 18 level, makes his debut in the second row.

After missing out on England’s U20 Six Nations Grand Slam through injury, Saracens’ Ali Crossdale returns to make his debut on the wing.

Head coach Ian Vass says he is expecting a tough, physical battle from Samoa.

“We’ve picked a team we believe can do a job against Samoa, bearing in mind it’s a long tournament and everyone is going to have to play at some point,” said Vass.

“Samoa have a lot of talented individual players who can run and score from anywhere on the field. They are very strong physically, carrying and tackling.”

The squad arrived in Tbilisi on Saturday and Vass says the side are eager to get the tournament started.

He added: “We want to see the lads put into practice everything we’ve been working on with them since before Christmas.

“We want to see them playing together as a team and defending as a team also working as hard as they can. If they do that then we have some good players who can make things happen. Really we just want them to put in a performance

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they can be pleased with.”

‘Leading by example’ Mercer will skipper England, and Vass says he expects the Bath forward to lead by example on Wednesday.

“Zach is one of more experienced players; he played in the tournament last year and has played a lot of Premiership games this year,” he said. “He talks a lot to the team and leads by example with his actions on the field.”

Vass, Louis Deacon and Tom Williams continue as England’s coaching team in Georgia, having joined the management as part of a new agreement with Premiership Rugby in which club coaches lead and develop the U20s while gaining experience in an international environment.

England will face familiar faces in their second fixture when they come up against Wales on Sunday, 4 June.

Australia, who were in England’s pool last year, are the opposition for their final pool game on Thursday, 8 June.

head coach Ian Vass.

“We are pleased with how the training camp went last week and the players are hugely excited by what is ahead.”

Vass, Louis Deacon and Tom Williams continue as England’s coaching team, having joined the management as part of a new agreement with Premiership Rugby in which club coaches lead and develop the U20s while gaining experience in an international environment.

Playing all of their Pool A matches in the Avchala Stadium, the defending champions will open their campaign against Samoa on Wednesday 31 May.

Evans ruled out of World Rugby U20 Championship 23 May 2017, 14:52 Evans was part of last year’s winning U20 squad Lamb replaces Evans in squad Leicester Tigers flanker Will Evans has been ruled out of the 2017 World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia due to illness.

England will face familiar faces in their second fixture when they come up against Wales on Sunday 4 June.

The two sides recently met in the Six Nations, with England coming out 37-21 winners.

Harlequins back-row Dino Lamb will replace Evans in England’s 28-man squad, who gathered in Guildford last week for a pre-tournament training camp.

“It’s a shame to lose Will at this early stage however this is a fantastic opportunity for Dino,” said England U20

Australia, who were in England’s pool last year, are the opposition for their final pool game on Thursday 8 June.

Final standings World Rugby U20 Championship 2017

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England U20s 2017 Theo Brophy-Clews (captain); Max Elliott; Tom Parton; Ali Crossdale; Dominic Morris; Will Butler; Gabriel Ibitoye ; Alex Mitchell; Ollie Dawe; Jamie Blamire; Marcus Street; Josh Caulfield; Dino Lamb; Max Davies; Josh Bayliss; Zach Mercer; Henry Walker; Alex Seville; Ciaran Knight; Justin Clegg; Joe Mullis; Harry Randall; Max Malins; Jacob Umaga; gpfoto my photos, your story gerry@gpfoto.ie +353 (087) 2424123 Š All rights reserved