England Under 20s

Jack Clifford

Key Facts

Squad	Harlequins
Position	Back row
Age	20
Height	1.93m (6'4")
Weight	109kg (17st 2lb)
Caps	U20: 19

Playing Sevens for Harlequins in the JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby Sevens tournament final and in the Middlesex event at Twickenham in 2010 was the forerunner to Jack Clifford winning a place in the England U18 side before his elevation to the U20 squad in September 2011.

Jack went on to lead England U20 to the RBS 6 Nations Championship title last season and contributed three tries to the 40-10 win over France at Worcester in February. He added two more touchdowns during a repeat victory by 30-6 over Les Bleus in the opening match in the Junior World Championship at La Roche-sur-Yon in June.

He had relished a two-try debut against Scotland at Firhill in February 2012, played in the four subsequent matches as England won the Six Nations title and then appeared in all five games in the IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa. Jack made his first U18 appearance against Ireland at Donnybrook in December 2010 and scored a try against both Italy U19 and Scotland in February and March 2011.

Born in Brisbane to an English mother, he has a UK passport, first played the game at the age of nine for Cranleigh minis and was initially educated at Tillingbourne School in Chilworth, Surrey.

From there, he moved on to study economics, geography and PE at RGS Guildford and after three years with Cranleigh, he joined Cobham in 2004 along the way to the Harlequins Academy and representing the club in Aviva A League matches. He was on loan to Ealing Trailfinders in 2011-12, has played on a similar basis for Esher this season and made his Premiership debut for Harlequins off the bench at Gloucester on March 29, 2013.

Tony Diprose, the Harlequins Academy manager, Chris Robshaw and Quins’ Samoan back row forward Maurie Fa’asavalu are his mentors, following Oliver Torri, the coach at his school where Jack was vice-captain of rugby. He said: “I want to try to push as far as I can through club and international levels and win a full Test cap for England.”

Jack’s earlier career had an international flavour when he toured South Africa with Cobham in 2008 and he won representative honours in the shot putt, discus and javelin. His pastimes include clay pigeon shooting and brother Harry, also a product of RGS Guildford, has played for Great Britain Lions at American football.

Back on the field, Jack had a key role, along with fellow Cobham back row Matthew Kope, when their U17 side maintained a seven-year unbeaten record against English opposition by beating Bedford Blues 55-3 in the 2010 National Cup final at Northampton. It was his most memorable game until he shared in the England U18 victory by 38-34 over Wales in the FIRA/AER Championship in Auch in April 2011. They won in the last play of an enthralling match.

He went on to figure seven times for England U18, his final appearances being against the Australia Academy U19 and Australia A Schools in Sydney in August 2011. A centre in his formative days, he moved to blind side flanker and admires the back row qualities of England captain Chris Robshaw, Richie McCaw and Sergio Parisse. Twickenham Stoop is his favourite ground.