10 England stars who played in the U20 World Championships
Take a look back at the stars of the World Rugby U20 Championships from previous years.
- Borthwick names first RWC training squad
- Tickets for England's summer series available
- England U20 Men squad for World Championship
Maro Itoje
Maro Itoje represented England at U18 level before being named captain of England U20s in the 2013/14 season.
England finished second in the 2014 Six Nations campaign, with Itoje scoring in each of their five games. He then co-captained the side to victory in the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship, beating South Africa 21-20 in the final.
Tries from Nathan Earle and Joel Conlon were met with a Jesse Kriel brace and kicks from South Africa fly half Handre Pollard. England's place kicking made the difference at full time as Billy Burns and Aaron Morris edged their side ahead.
Since his time in the U20s, Itoje has been a mainstay in the England senior squad, and was the only member of the U20s class of 2014 to feature in the 2019 World Cup final in Japan.
Jamie George
Jamie George featured in the England U20s squad in the 2008/2009 season. He scored in the side’s Six Nations fixture against Wales and was included in the squad that competed in the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship. Other names involved in the setup that year include Joe Marler, Courtney Lawes, Ben Moon and Ben Youngs.
The side finished runners-up against New Zealand after losing 44-28 in the final.
George made his senior debut in 2015 against Wales and went on to play in the Rugby World Cup that same year. Since then, he has featured prominently in the senior side and earned his 50th cap against Italy in the 2020 Six Nations.
Joe Marchant
A product of the England U18s setup, Joe Marchant represented England U20s in 2015 and 2016. He featured in the side that won the 2015 Six Nations U20 Championship and the 2016 World Rugby U20 Championship, scoring a try in the final against Ireland to help England on their way to a 21-45 victory and the world title.
Also involved in the U20s setup at the time were the likes of Jack Willis, Will Stuart, Zach Mercer, Harry Randall and Jack Singleton.
Marchant was named in Eddie Jones’ senior squad ahead of the 2016 Autumn Internationals just months later. Since then, he has earned 15 caps at international level having made his debut against Wales in 2019.
Owen Farrell
Owen Farrell featured in the England U20s class of 2011 having been involved in the pathway setup from U16s level, playing alongside future senior teammates Mako Vunipola, Joe Launchbury, Elliot Daly, Dan Robson and Christian Wade.
England lost 22-33 in the final of the tournament, narrowly missing out on the title to New Zealand after tries from Wade and Henry Thomas were met with scores from Charles Piutau, Ben Tameifuna and Beauden Barrett, and a strong kicking performance from Gareth Anscombe.
It didn't take Farrell long to transition into the senior side following his time in the U20s setup. He made his full Test debut against Scotland in the 2012 Six Nations Championship at Murrayfield.
He would go on to be named as England captain; Farrell led the side to their first Rugby World Cup final since 2007 when they faced South Africa in 2019. He became the third senior men’s player to reach 100 caps for his country in Autumn 2022, following in the footsteps of Jason Leonard and Ben Youngs.
Kyle Sinckler
Bristol Bears’ Kyle Sinckler was named in the England U20s squad ahead of the 2011/12 season. He featured in the squads that won the 2012 Six Nations U20 Championship and competed in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship, scoring a try in their pool stage victories against Italy and Ireland.
Also involved in the U20s setup at the time included Sinckler's future senior teammates Luke Cowan-Dickie, Alec Hepburn, Billy Vunipola and Henry Slade.
Sinckler made his senior debut for England in 2016 in their Autumn International fixture against South Africa. He retained his position in the squad that went on to win the Six Nations in 2017. That year he was included in Warren Gatland’s squad for the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.
The 61-cap tight head prop also toured South Africa with the Lions in 2021, featuring in each of their three Tests.
Ellis Genge
Ellis Genge was included in the England U20 squad that won the 2015 Six Nations U20 Championship. Later that year, he started in the team that came runners-up to New Zealand in the World Rugby U20 Championship.
Genge started alongside his future England teammates Jack Walker, Paul Hill Charlie Ewels and Lewis Ludlam. England were edged 21-16 in the final of the Championship to an All Blacks team with the likes of Jack Goodhue, Anton Leinert-Brown, Akira Ioane and George Bridge included in their matchday 23.
Just one year later, Genge made his senior debut for England having been called up to the squad by Eddie Jones. He made his debut against Wales in the 2016 Six Nations.
Since then, he has earned 48 England caps and was included in the squad that came runners-up to South Africa in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Anthony Watson
Anthony Watson represented England at U16 and U18 level before his involvement in the U20s squad in 2012. He scored a try against Ireland in the final round of the Six Nations U20 Championship, helping his side on their way to a tournament victory. He was also involved in the side that retained the title in 2013.
Watson was named in the U20s squad that would go on to win the IRB Junior World Championship for the first time in 2013, scoring a try in their semi-final against New Zealand. He started in the final against Wales as England emerged 23-15 victors.
He made his senior debut against New Zealand in 2014, coming off the bench in their Autumn International fixture at Twickenham. Since then, Watson has earned 55 caps for his country and toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2017 and 2021.
Henry Slade
A product of the England U18s setup, Henry Slade was a key member of the U20s side that won back-to-back Six Nations titles in 2012 and 2013.
He started in the final of the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship. England defeated Wales Wales 23-15 to become champions for the first time, with Slade contributing 13 points from the boot. Jack Nowell and Sam Hill scored the two tries for England as Wales responded with points from an Ashley Evans brace and Sam Davies' boot.
The Exeter Chiefs centre made his senior debut against France at Twickenham in 2015 and has since earned 56 caps for his country. He came off the bench in the final of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Jack Walker
Jack Walker represented England at U16 and U18 levels and was a member of the U20s side that won a back-to-back Junior World Championship title in 2014. He came off the bench in the final against South Africa at Eden Park in a team captained by Maro Itoje.
England won 21-20 against an opposition side riddled with future senior international talent, including Jesse Kriel, Thomas du Toit, Warrick Gelant and Handre Pollard.
Walker was named captain of England U20s for the 2016 Six Nations and subsequent Junior World Championship. Despite missing out on the knockout stages through injury, he lifted the trophy alongside co-captain Harry Mallinder as England won their third title.
The Harlequins hooker made his England debut in the 2023 Guinness Six Nations in England’s victory over Italy at Twickenham.
Max Malins
England and Saracens wing Max Malins represented England at U18 level in 2015 before featuring in the U20s squad that won the 2016 World Rugby Championship.
A prominent member of the squad throughout the tournament, Malins scored tries against Scotland and South Africa before starting at full back in the final against Ireland. England won the game 45-21 against an Irish side that included the likes of Andrew Porter, James Ryan and Jacob Stockdale.
He was also a member of the squad that won a Grand Slam in the 2017 Six Nations U20 Championship a year later. Malins made his senior debut in November 2020 against Georgia at Twickenham and has since won 18 caps for his country.
