England A an opportunity for exciting young players - Borthwick
England A face Portugal at the home of Leicester Tigers this weekend and Steve Borthwick is glad to see the team back and in such an iconic stadium.
“It’s an important step for players who have come out of the Under 20s and are playing club rugby, to be able to get into the international environment to prepare to play for England,” he said. “Since we've not had the Saxons or the A team, that group of players, now in their early to mid-20s, are striving to make that next level to international rugby and haven't had that platform. This provides that next stage.
“For selection these players must have the potential of being in the England team in the very near future. That's the focus. We've got a lot of exciting young players in this country, and this is an opportunity for them. This England A game is really important, I can't overstate the importance of re-establishing this team. So, to do this at Leicester Tigers' stadium is incredible. It’s such an iconic stadium and one I know very well. It's an area where the supporters know rugby, they love rugby, and I'm sure they’ll be out there supporting England in numbers.
“Portugal’s performance in the Rugby World Cup was incredibly impressive. Not only in the outstanding way they played, but also the way they attacked every game. I thought that showed the character and the spirit that they have in their team.”
The players in the mix will inevitably include one or two released from the England team who will benefit from playing and add experience to exciting prospects taking to the Welford Road pitch. England caps have already been awarded to the likes of Harry Randall, Jamie Blamire, Tom Pearson and Ollie Hassell-Collins.
With former Tiger Sam Vesty leading on attack, those who may be in the match 23 include Newcastle Falcons back row Guy Pepper has been a regular in the England age grade squads. Born in Harrogate, he came through the Falcons’ junior academy, joining the senior academy in 2021 and impressing on his first team debut at Northampton in October 2022, starting the following week when the Falcons beat Gloucester. He laid down a marker scoring three tries in seven games before a foot injury cut short his campaign.
Jamie Shillcock joined Leicester Tigers this season and, with the clock in the red, kicked a penalty to give Tigers a 25-24 victory against Bath. A season with Mitsubishi DynaBoars in Japan followed the versatile back’s time with Worcester Warriors and he also represented England at U20 level. The versatile back made his senior debut for Worcester as a 17-year-old in 2015 and made almost a century of appearances for the club before a short stint with Bath.
Exeter Chiefs’ 21-year-old back row Greg Fisilau says his family is his biggest inspiration. Growing up in Plymouth, where his dad Keni played centre for Plymouth Albion, as well as being a Tongan international, Greg says he owes everything to Keni, who started training him as soon as he could crawl and then encouraged him to work hard at his first club Devonport Services. A product of the Wasps academy, Greg earned 14 England U20 caps and spent time with Birmingham Moseley and Ampthill in the RFU Championship.
There are some familiar names among those up for selection. Speedster wing, Oliver Sleightholme, is following in the footsteps of his Saints legend father, Jon. Having begun rugby aged six at Northampton Old Scouts, Ollie signed on with the Saints senior academy ahead of 2018/19 having been part of their setup since he was 13. He gained a silver medal with England Sevens in the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas as well as playing for England at Under18 and Under20. His first-team debut, against Bristol Bears in the Premiership Rugby Cup, saw him score his first Northampton try after just 15 seconds and he has now been joined in the club’s senior ranks by younger brother Frankie.
Exeter Chiefs back row Rusiate Tuima’s uncle Akapusi Qera has 65 Fiji caps, his older sister Lagi has played for England Women and his cousin is England’s Joe Cokanasiga. It’s some family tree! Rusi moved from Fiji to England with his family when he was four. From the Ivybridge AASE programme and Exeter College, he excelled at U18 and U20 level before making his full Premiership debut coming off the bench against Wasps at the Ricoh Arena in January 2021.
Saints loose-head prop Tarek Haffar joined them from London Irish at the start of the season. He joined their academy aged 14, having been outstanding with Grasshoppers RFC while also playing for Gunnersbury Catholic School. Ten appearances for the Exiles during the 2022/23 season included a try against Sale Sharks in the Gallagher Premiership. Haffar was capped three times by England at Under-20s level, having also represented Middlesex and National One side Redigensians on loan during his rise through the London Irish Academy.
Harlequins’ Cadan Murley also represented England at U18 and U20. A combative winger, he’s noted for his speed and try scoring, having been the Premiership’s top try scorer in last season with 16 His 50th appearance for his West London club was in the first home match of this season and the 24-year-old was in last summer’s England world cup training squad, but just missed out on the 33 for France.
Exeter Chiefs' Lancaster-born full back Josh Hodge joined the club from Newcastle Falcons in June 2020, having become part of the Falcons' senior academy squad in 2018.He played for England Under 18s and 19s and was the top scorer in the World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina, kicking 24 goals from 24 and scoring two tries. He was on the books of Preston North End's football academy and, a talented decathlete, finished fifth in the Under-19s national championships in 2017. In 2020 he was called up as an apprentice player for the Guinness Six Nations training squad, which he says was a career highlight.
Bath No 8 Alfie Barbeary has, at 23, been involved in a succession of England squads and thrived in European competition and the Gallagher Premiership. His senior Wasps debut three weeks after his 18th birthday saw him scoring a try and that scoring instinct continues. In Europe, the Number 8 produced several player-of-the-match performances before serving a three-week suspension after a tackle on Racing 92 full back Max Spring was deemed to have merited a red card, rather than the yellow he received in the game. He had scored Bath's second try in their bonus-point victory over Racing, which secured their place in the competition’s knockout stages.
Harlequins 22-year-old prop Fin Baxter began his rugby at Cobham RFC aged five and made his England U18 debut against Scotland in 2018. He came off the bench for his Quins debut against Racing 92 in 2020 in the Champions Cup. He can pack down n both sides of the scrum and has played for England U20s, captaining them in their 2021 Six Nations campaign. His Quins teammate, hooker Sam Riley, joined the club at 15, captained their U18s and progressed into the senior academy for the 2019/20 season. He represented England at U16 and U18 and is a powerful ball carrier with leadership qualities.
It’s sure to be a great return of England A and an exciting opportunity for players to make their mark at Welford Road.
