Chiefs duo in England U-20s squad

 

Exeter Chiefs duo Joel Conlon and Stuart Townsend have both been named in this season's England Under-20s squad by coaches Nick Walshe and Ian Peel.

The 32-man group will be hoping to win a fourth Under-20s Six Nations title in a row in the New Year before heading to New Zealand to defend their IRB Junior World Championship trophy next June.

Flanker Conlon (above), who was part of England's JWC title-winning side in France is one of 11 players previously capped at this level, while scrum-half Townsend (below) is one of 11 players who represented England at Under-18 level on their recent summer tour to South Africa.

Walshe said: “We’re excited to work with the players in our squad. We have a good blend of guys with experience and new talent coming in from the Under 18s set-up.

“There is always huge competition at this age grade and a lot of players getting first team rugby at their clubs, it’s tough to narrow that down to a group of 32 and we expect players to continue to push for inclusion.

“Competition for places will be high, but that’s just what you want. We had a successful season last season and the aim is to perform even better.”

England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “This season’s England Under 20s squad is a strong one with lots of experience, the amount of competition for places in each position reflects well on the work the regional academies at the clubs are doing.

“A lot of the players in this squad have come through our age group international programme – nine are Junior World Championship winners – and that goes to show how well the development pathway is working with players progressing through from the 18s into the Under 20s and then hopefully pushing for places in the Senior and Saxons Elite Player Squads."

 
England U-20 Elite Player Squad 2013/14

Forwards

James Chisholm (Harlequins)
Joel Conlon (Exeter Chiefs)
Tom Ellis (Bath Rugby)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Paul Hill (Leeds Carnegie)
Jonny Hill (Gloucester Rugby)
Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton Saints)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Gus Jones (London Wasps)
Lewis Ludlow (Gloucester Rugby)
Alex Lundberg (London Wasps)
Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby)
Cameron Neild (Sale Sharks)
Will Owen (Leicester Tigers)
Harry Rudkin (Leicester Tigers)
Harry Thacker (Leicester Tigers)
Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)

Backs

Callum Braley (Bristol Rugby)
Billy Burns (Gloucester Rugby)
Jordan Burns (Harlequins)
George Catchpole (Leicester Tigers)
Nathan Earle (Saracens)
Louis Grimoldby (Harlequins)
Zach Kibirige (Newcastle Falcons)
Sam Olver (Northampton Saints)
Howard Packman (Northampton Saints)
Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers)
Harry Sloan (Harlequins)
Tom Stephenson (Northampton Saints)
Nick Tompkins (Saracens)
Stuart Townsend (Exeter Chiefs)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)