“We have played a couple of matches at Tor before and a big crowd turned up so we are hoping for the same again,” said David Maughan, England U16 A team manager.

“The 26 boys in the squad reported fit to Millfield on Monday morning and they are looking forward to representing their country in this festival.”

The squad are staying in the school’s Holmcroft House, where Steve Shortland, the England U16 A forwards coach, happens to be the housemaster.

The 26 players led by Radburn were selected in the last week of February after the conclusion of the England 16 Group’s Hartpury College training camp.

Before that they went through a selection process comprising county and divisional games, and a match between the combined North/Midlands and London & SE/South West Under 16s at Broadstreet RFC in January.

In three practice matches England U16 A defeated The Rest (37-5 at Hartpury) and the Midlands Division (65-10 at Solihull School) before a draw with Saracens Academy U17 (19-19 at Solihull School).

England Under 16 A v France, Millfield International Festival, Tuesday April 1 at Tor RFC (7.30pm):

15 Ben Ransom (Tonbridge School & Kent)

14 James Trueman (Solihull School & Warwickshire)

13 George Elliott (Easingwold School & Yorkshire)

12 Ryan Mills (West Exe Technology College & Devon)

11 Marland Yarde (Gunnersbury Boys Catholic School & Middlesex)

10 Tom Barrett (Sedbergh School & Yorkshire)

9 Mike Hogan (King Edward VII & Eastern Counties)

Forwards:

1 George Burkinshaw (Ecclesfield School & Yorkshire)

2 Koree Britton (Kingsbridge Community College & Devon)

3 William Bigley (Wellingborough School & East Midlands)

4 Addison Lockley (Ivybridge College & Devon)

5 Sam Farmer (Bedford School & East Midlands)

6 Will Radburn (Tudor Grange & North Midlands, capt)

7 James Stephenson (Canford School & Dorset and Wiltshire)

8 Sam Northcote-Green (Dulwich College & Surrey)

Replacements:

16 Charles Clare (Sedbergh School & Yorkshire)(front row)

17 Louis Padian (Bishop Challoner Sports College & North Midlands)(front row)

18 Thomas Williams (Abraham Darby & North Midlands)(front row)

19 Alistair Bone (Harrow School & Middlesex)

20 William Skuse (Penair School & Cornwall)

21 Sam Heygate (Guilsborough School & East Midlands)

22 Oliver Shaw (Bradford Grammar & Yorkshire)

23 Will Dunkley (Bedford School & East Midlands)

24 Josh Allan (North Halifax Grammar & Yorkshire)

25 Charlie Sadler (St Benedict’s College & Eastern Counties)

26 Guy Armitage (Wellington College & Berkshire)

Note: up to seven of the 11 replacements may be used.

Millfield International Festival 2008

Competing teams: England U16 A, Wales U16 A, France U16, Scotland U17, Canada U17, USA U17, Portugal U17, Romania U17.

Fixtures (all matches at Millfield School unless stated):

Tuesday April 1:

Wales v Scotland (10am)

Canada v Romania (11.30am)

USA v Portugal (3pm)

England U16 A v France U16 (Tor RFC, 7.30pm)

Thursday April 3:

Romania v Wales (10am)

Scotland v Portugal (11.30am)

France v Canada (2.30pm)

England U16 A v USA U17 (4pm)

Saturday April 5:

France v Scotland (4pm)

Sunday April 6:

Portugal v Canada (9.30am)

Romania v USA (9.30am)

England U16 A v Wales U16 A (11am)

Ends