Tuima in England U18s squad

By Mark Stevens
4/4/18

England U18s head coach John Fletcher has named Exeter Chiefs youngster Rus Tuima in his starting line-up to play Italy in the second game of the Six Nations Festival in Wales on Wednesday at Cardiff Arms Park (KO 12pm).

The powerful No.8 is one of 11 changes made by Fletcher to the side that lost 32-27 to Scotland in the opening game of the Festival on Saturday.

Hooker Samson Ma'asi will captain the side and is joined in an entirely new front row by props Lewis Holsey and Cal Ford. There is a different back-row also with flankers Henri Lavin and JJ Tonks, as well as Tuima all starting.

A new hal-fback combination sees scrum-half Callum Pascoe partnered by George Barton with Connor Doherty coming into midfield. Wing Harry Barlow and full-back Josh Hodge both start also.

England's tournament ends against France on 8 April (KO 5pm) at Cardiff Arms Park.

John Fletcher said: “We’ve reflected on the Scotland game and we know we have to be better. The players were bitterly disappointed to lose, however often the best learning comes from defeat, especially at this age, and I expect us to be better on Wednesday.

“We have played with good attacking intent this season in wanting to cause the opposition problems and score lots of tries. There are a couple of things in our attack that could be better, especially our integration between high numbers and low numbers and from a defensive point of view we just didn’t problem solve in that second half against Scotland.

“This is a different group of players, we’ve made lots of changes to give all the players equal opportunities to play and are excited to see this team go and show what we’re about against a good Italian side who were really unfortunate to lose to Ireland in the last kick of the game.”

England U18s

15. Josh Hodge - Newcastle Falcons (Sedbergh School)
14. Ollie Sleightholme - Northampton Saints (Northampton School for Boys)
13. Connor Doherty - Sale Sharks (Kirkham Grammar School)
12. Will Simonds - Wasps (The Henley College)
11. Harry Barlow - Harlequins (Cranleigh School)
10. George Barton Gloucester Rugby (Dean Close School)
9. Callum Pascoe - Newcastle Falcons (Gosforth Academy)
1. Lewis Holsey - Worcester Warriors (Solihull School)
2. Samson Ma'asi - Northampton Saints (St Josephs)
3. Cal Ford - Sale Sharks (Sandbach School)
4. Will Montgomery - Newcastle Falcons (Kirkbie Kendal School)
5. Ben Donnell - London Irish (Peter Symonds College)
6. Henri Lavin - Leicester Tigers (Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College)
7. JJ Tonks - Gloucester Rugby (Hartpury College)
8. Rus Tuima - Exeter Chiefs (Exeter College)

Replacements

16. Alfie Barbeary - Wasps (Bloxham School)
17. Bevan Rodd - Sale Sharks (Sedbergh School)
18. Jack Bartlett - Gloucester Rugby
19. George Martin - Leicester Tigers (Brooksby Melton College)
20. Ted Leatherbarrow - Sale Sharks (Kirkham Grammar School)
21. Rob Farrar - Newcastle Falcons (Sedbergh School)
22. Blake Boyland - Bristol Rugby (SGS College)
23. Reece Dunn - Gloucester Rugby (St Peter's High School)
24. Jacob Morris - Gloucester Rugby (Hartpury College)