Chiefs trio in England U18s side

By Mark Stevens
02/03/18

Exeter Chiefs duo Richard Capstick and Sam Maunder have both been named in John Fletcher's England Under-18s side to face France at Stade Jean Rolland, in Digne-les-Bains on Saturday (KO 3pm local time, 2pm GMT).

Back-row forward Capstick is one of five members of the squad that toured South Africa last August as part of England U18s’ summer development tour. He joins Tom de Glanville, who starts at full back, centre Sam Spink, fly-half Kieran Wilkinson and hooker Will Capon.

Ollie Lawrence, who made his England U20 debut against Scotland earlier this month, is named at outside centre.

The match is England U18s’ first match of their season with fixtures against Scotland on 18 March at Stirling County RFC (KO 12pm) and Wales on 25 March at Sardis Road, Pontypridd (KO 4.15pm) before the ‘Six Nations Festival’.

The festival based in Wales will see England U18s play Scotland at Ystrad Mynach (31 March, KO 12pm ), Italy at Cardiff Arms Park (4 April, KO 12pm) and France at the same venue on 8 April (KO 5pm).

Fletcher said: “Our training camp last week was exciting and it was great seeing the players starting to connect with each other in preparation for our games over the next few months.

“We want to see the players express themselves on Saturday and to try and find different ways to score tries and get the ball back which ties into our principles around attack and defence.

“It will be a good experience and a great challenge for the players to play France in France and it’s exciting to be playing our first fixture of the season. It’s been a long time since our last game in South Africa at the end of August. We have a camps before Christmas and then watch and monitor the players through the U18 academy league, so we are all looking forward to seeing this group of players taking on France.”

England U18s

15 Tom de Glanville, Bath Rugby (Beechen Cliff School)
14 Will Simonds, Wasps (The Henley College)
13 Ollie Lawrence, Worcester Warriors (Bromsgrove School)
12 Sam Spink, Wasps (Wellington College)
11 Jacob Morris, Gloucester Rugby (Hartpury College)
10 Kieran Wilkinson, Sale Sharks (Kirkham Grammar School)
9 Sam Maunder, Exeter Chiefs (Blundell's School)
1 Bevan Rodd, Sale Sharks (Sedbergh School)
2 Will Capon, Bristol Rugby (Bristol Grammar School)
3 Alfie Petch, Exeter Chiefs (Exeter College)
4 Tom Jeanes, Bath Rugby (Beechen Cliff School)
5 Cameron Jordan, Leicester Tigers (Oakham School)
6 Richard Capstick, Exeter Chiefs (Exeter College)
7 Sam Dugdale ,Sale Sharks (Kirkham Grammar School)
8 Tom Marshall, Newcastle Falcons (Gosforth Academy)

Replacements

16 Kapeli Pifeleti, Saracens (Haileybury School)
17 Olly Adkins, Gloucester Rugby (Hartpury College)
18 Cal Ford, Sale Sharks (Sandbach School)
19 Rouban Birch, Sale Sharks (Sedbergh School)
20 JJ Tonks, Gloucester Rugby (Hartpury College)
21 Blake Boyland, Bristol Rugby (SGS College)
22 Josh Hodge, Newcastle Falcons (Sedbergh School)
23 Harry Barlow, Harlequins (Cranleigh School)