- 26-man U18 squad named for next five games
- Age group side looking to extend 12 game unbeaten run
England have named their Under 18 squad for the remaining five games of this season's international programme.
The side coached by John Fletcher and Peter Walton extended their unbeaten international run to 13 games when they beat the Australian Schools side 30-28 last month.
All 23 players used at Heywood Road are retained with centres Ryan Mills (Hartpury College & Gloucester Rugby) and Charlie Walker (Leicester Tigers), and lock George Merrick (Harlequins) back after injury.
England take the field against France at Newbury on Sunday, February 21 (3pm) and away games follow against Italy (March 7) and Wales (March 28) before they face Ireland and Scotland in the annual Six Nations Festival in April.
"We've got a strong squad and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season," said Fletcher. "There's not been much carry-over from last season so there's a lot of young lower-sixth guys in it but they've trained well and did well against Australia in December.
"We'll try and give everyone a start in the first two matches and go from there into the game against Wales and the Festival.
"Everyone will get a lot of game time. Young players can't develop without being pitched in to deal with stress and adversity, and we'll put them in that position to see how they cope."
There are four survivors from the 2008-09 Under 18 programme in fly half George Ford (Rishworth & Leicester Tigers), flanker Billy Vunipola (Harrow & London Wasps), lock Sam Twomey (Dulwich College & Harlequins) and centre Jamie Elliott (Bedford & Northampton Saints).
Ford became the youngest player to appear in a professional club game in November when he lined up for Leicester against Leeds Carnegie in the LV=Cup at the age of 16 years 237 days.
England U18 Squad
| Forwards |
|---|
| Player | Club |
|---|
| Nick Auterac |
Oaklands College & Saracens |
| Dominic Barrow |
Prince Henry's GS Otley & Leeds Carnegie |
| Anthony Brennan |
Twyford CofE & London Wasps |
| Koree Britton |
Ivybridge Coll & Exeter Chiefs |
| Luke Cowan-Dickie |
Truro Coll & Exeter Chiefs |
| Matt Kvesic |
Worcester Sixth Form Coll & Worcester Warriors |
| George Merrick |
Whitgift & Harlequins |
| Nathan Morris |
Sedbergh & Newcastle Falcons |
| Sam Northcote-Green |
Dulwich Coll & London Wasps |
| Kyle Sinkler |
Epsom Coll & Harlequins |
| Will Skuse |
Bryanston & Bath Rugby |
| Sam Twomey |
Dulwich Coll & Harlequins |
| Billy Vunipola |
Harrow & London Wasps |
| Chris Walker |
Prince Henry's GS Otley & Leeds Carnegie |
| Backs |
|---|
| Player | Club |
|---|
| Tommy Bell |
Bacup and Rawtenstall GS & Sale Sharks |
| Elliot Daly |
Whitgift & London Wasps |
| Chris Elder |
RGS High Wycombe & London Wasps |
| Jamie Elliott |
Bedford & Northampton Saints |
| George Ford |
Rishworth & Leicester Tigers |
| Joel Hodgson |
RGS Newcastle & Newcastle Falcons |
| Mark Jennings |
Lymm HS & Sale Sharks |
| Ryan Mills |
Hartpury Coll & Gloucester |
| Ben Ransom |
Tonbridge & Saracens |
| Dan Robson |
Hartpury Coll & Gloucester Rugby |
| Charlie Walker |
Oakham & Leicester Tigers |
| Marland Yarde |
Whitgift & London Irish |
