Coaches Mark Mapletoft and Andy Titterrell have unveiled their Men’s U20 matchday squad for a clash with Bath Rugby Academy this Saturday at 2pm.
The U20s are gearing up to face a Bath side overseen by former England head coach Andy Robinson. The match will be played at Bristol’s Shaftesbury Park, home of Dings Crusaders, and will offer fans an enticing early glimpse into the future of English rugby.
Admission to the game is free, with entry granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Nathan Michelow, the dynamic Saracens back rower, has been given the captaincy for the friendly match. As the leader of the 26-man squad, Michelow brings valuable experience after featuring in all five of England’s U20 World Championship fixtures last summer.
The team boasts eight more capped U20 players, including the likes of forwards Craig Wright and Joe Bailey, centre pairing Ben Waghorn and Toby Cousins, and wing Alex Wills. Substitutes James Halliwell, Finn Carnduff (pictured), and Zach Carr are set to add their experience to the emerging U20 talents.
Notably, the coaching duo of Mapletoft and Titterrell have expanded their squad for this weekend's action, incorporating non-EPS members from Bath Rugby, Newcastle Falcons, Nottingham University, Racing 92, and Newcastle. Among them are Scott Kirk, Ben Douglas, Max Blinkhorn, Junior Kpoku, and Ollie Spencer, adding further depth to the line-up.
Having recently undergone a warm-weather training camp at Browns Sports Resort in Portugal, the U20 EPS for 2024 has this week engaged in rigorous conditioning, unit work, and on-field training at Bisham Abbey. The coaching staff, including the newly-appointed scrum coach Nathan Catt, a former Bath front-row stalwart, expect a highly competitive encounter at Shaftesbury Park.
As part of their preparation for the this year’s U20 Six Nations, England have already faced Loughborough University and Oxford University, with a rematch against the former taking place next Saturday (13th Jan) before their opening Championship clash with Italy on 2nd Feb.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the upcoming fixture, Mapletoft said: "It's been a real pleasure to bring this new cohort together over the last week. The boys have showcased a real intent on proving themselves in a game capacity for the first time." As the U20 Six Nations fast approaches, Mapletoft has emphasised the team's focus on delivering a positive performance against Bath this weekend.
England U20 Men's side to face Bath Rugby
1 Cameron Miell (Leicester Tigers)
2 Craig Wright (Northampton Saints) *
3 Billy Sela (Bath Rugby)
4 Olamide Sodeke (Saracens)
5 Joe Bailey (Exeter Chiefs) *
6 Nathan Michelow (C) (Saracens) *
7 Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
8 Lucas Schmid (Harlequins)
9 Ben Douglas (Newcastle Falcons)
10 Rory Taylor (Gloucester Rugby)
11 Sean Kerr (Harlequins)
12 Ben Waghorn (Harlequins) *
13 Toby Cousins (Northampton Saints) *
14 Alex Wills (Sale Sharks) *
15 Ben Redshaw (Newcastle Falcons)
Replacements
16 Scott Kirk (Bath Rugby)
17 Jacob Oliver (Newcastle Falcons)
18 James Halliwell (Bristol Bears) *
19 Junior Kpoku (Racing 92)
20 Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers) *
21 Zach Carr (Harlequins) *
22 Max Blinkhorn (Nottingham University)
23 Josh Bellamy (Harlequins)
24 Ollie Spencer (Newcastle Falcons)
25 Will Glister (Northampton Saints)
26 Ioan Jones (Gloucester Rugby)
*denotes a player previously capped at U20 level
England U20 Men’s 2024 U20 Six Nations fixtures
2 February - Italy v England - 19:15 - Stadio Monigo, Treviso
9 February - England v Wales - 19:15 - The Recreation Ground. Tickets available here.
23 February - Scotland v England - 19:15 - Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
8 March - England v Ireland - 19:15 - The Recreation Ground. Tickets available here.
15 March - France v England - 20:00 - Stade du Hameau, Pau
