March 18 2008

England Under-18s have reshuffled their back division for their game against Ireland in the AER (Association Europeenne de Rugby) Championship semi-final against Ireland in San Dona Di Piave, Italy tomorrow (7pm GMT).

England, who are attempting to win the title for the third time in four seasons, booked their place in the last four by beating a physical Georgia side 53-3 in Mogliano on Sunday.

They have made just two changes to their starting line-up with Reuben Haile of Gloucstershire, who was one of four unused replacements against Georgia, taking the place of Jon Kennedy on the left wing and Matt Keyte of Surrey replacing Craig Hampson of Yorkshire at scrum-half. Kennedy is the son of Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy.

Kennedy and Hampson will take their place among the eleven replacements, up to seven of whom may be used against Ireland.

The forwards, who impressed against a big Georgian pack on Sunday, are unchanged.

The winners of tomorrow's game will play either France, the holders, or Italy in Saturday's final at Treviso. France play Italy at Casale Sul Sile tomorrow evening.

England will be attempting to avenge a narrow defeat by Italy in last season's competition which denied them a hat-trick of titles. Ireland went on to lose to France in a kicking contest after the scores were level and England went into the third-place play-off.

England Under-18s:
15 Marcus Watson (St George's College, London Irish and Surrey)
14 Nico Fraser ((Haileybury College, Saracens and Essex)
13 Jordan Davies (Denstone College, Eccles and Lancashire)
12 Will East (St Paul's School, Barnes, London Wasps and Middlesex - captain)
11 Reuben Haile (St Peter's Sixth Form Centre, Gloucester and Gloucestershire)
10 Joe Ford (Rishworth School and Yorkshire)
9 Matt Keyte (Dulwich College, Harlequins and Surrey)
1 Peter Austin (Worthing College, Havant and Hampshire)
2 Jimmy Stevens (Truro College, SWERA and Cornwall)
3 Shaun Knight (St Peter's Sixth Form Centre, Gloucester and Gloucestershire)
4 Daniel Wright (St Peter's Sixth Form Centre, Gloucester and Gloucestershire)
5 Rhys Jones (Corsham School, Corsham and Dorset & Wiltshire)
6 Will Welch (RGS Newcastle, Newcastle Falcons and Northumberland)
7 Matt Everard (Queen Elizabeth II School, Leicester Tigers and Leicestershire)
8 Jake Parker (Millfield School, South West Regional Academy and Cornwall).

Replacements: Mark Atkinson (St Ambrose College, Sale Sharks and Cheshire), Ross Chisholm (Brighton College, Harlequins and Sussex),Jon Kennedy (Sale Sharks and Cheshire), Craig Hampson (Harrogate College, Leeds Carnegie and Yorkshire), Henry Staff (Bedford Modern School , Saracens and East Midlands), Marcus Watson (St George?s College, London Irish and Surrey).Forwards: Arthur Ellis (St Benedict's School, Ealing, London Wasps and Middlesex), James Freeman (Bromsgrove School, Camp Hill and North Midlands), Aaron Hall (Berwick HS, Newcastle Falcons and Northumberland), Kane Palma-Newport (Beechen Cliff School, Bath and Somerset), Ollie Stedman (Kings School, Tynemouth, Percy Park and Northumberland), Yann Thomas (Weston-super-Mare and Somerset).

Ends