March 28th, 2008

The England Under 18s team to face France in the second game of the Six Nations Festival on Saturday March 29th, kick off 230pm at the Cork Institute of Technology, has today been announced.

England Under 18s Coach Alex Sanderson has made a handful of changes, including an all new front row and half-back combination.

There are also call-ups for centre Andy Forsyth of QEGS Wakefield and Leicester Tigers, wing Will Hurrell of Wyggeston & QE College and Leicester Tigers and full back Tom Catterick of Barnard Castle School and Newcastle Falcons. Sedbergh and Sale Sharks centre Tom Casson has again been named captain.

England Coach Sanderson said: “We have made several changes to the starting line-up. This is because we have to start every player in this tournament and also because of the very short time in between games, we have to keep all the players fresh and sharp. This is also a different game, a different opponent so some of the changes made are strategic as well.”

England go into the match at the Cork Institute of Technology on the back of an impressive 78-8, 12 try victory over Italy on Wednesday. Their opponents France, meanwhile, had to settle for second best after a 10-8 defeat to Scotland.

Sanderson added: “France are a very proud squad and I know they will be desperate to get a win. We are expecting a bit of a backlash after their defeat and I will also be expecting them to want to play everything quickly and in open play but we will be ready for that.

“The game against Italy was a good performance but we are striving for that perfect performance. We will go into this game with the same mindset and goals as we did before and hopefully by doing that the win will take care of itself.”

England Under 18s

1 Joe Marler (Richmond College & Harlequins)
2 Jamie George (Haileybury & Saracens)
3 Mako Vunipola (Millfield & Bristol Rugby)
4 Tom Holmes (Sandbach & Sale Sharks)
5 James Gaskell (Sandbach & Sale Sharks)
6 Rob Milligan (Rugby School & Northampton Saints)
7 Jacob Rowan (Bradford GS & Leeds Carnegie)
8 Alex Gray (Barnard Castle & Newcastle Falcons)
9 Jordi Pasqualin (The King’s School Gloucs & Gloucester Rugby)
10  Rory Clegg (Barnard Castle & Newcastle Falcons)
11 Sam Smith (Cranleigh & Harlequins)
12 Tom Casson (Sedbergh & Sale Sharks) C
13 Andy Forsyth (QEGS Wakefield & Leicester Tigers)
14 Will Hurrell (Wyggeston & QE1 Coll Leicester Tigers)
15 Tom Catterick (Barnard Castle & Newcastle Falcons)
Replacements:
16 Lee Imiolek (Myerscough College & Sale Sharks)
17 David Blackwell (Hartpury College & Gloucester Rugby)
18 James Currie (Millfield & Bath Rugby)
19 Joe Quinn (St Wilfred's School & Leeds Carnegie)
20 Joe Trayfoot (Epsom College & Harlequins)
21 Joe Barker (QEGS Wakefield & Leeds Carnegie)
22 Sam Harrison (John Cleveland College & Leicester Tigers)
23 Freddie Burns (Bath College & Bath Rugby)
24 Tom Homer (Milton Abbey & London Irish)
25 Christian Wade (RGS High Wycombe & London Wasps)
26 Jack Wallace (RGS High Wycombe & London Wasps)

England Under 18s Six Nations Festival Fixtures

England Under 18s v Wales, March 2nd, Worcester Warriors Sixways Stadium, WON 25-15
England Under 18s v Italy, March 26th, Temple Hill Cork, KO 5pm WON 78-8
England Under 18s v France, March 29th, Cork Institute of Technology, KO 230pm,
England Under 18s v Scotland, April 1st, Musgrave Park Cork, KO 230pm
 
Ends…