England U18 Men squads for regional camps announced
England U18 Men will meet for regional camps at St. George’s Park and Bisham Abbey across two weekends.
The camp at St. George’s Park this weekend (Friday 24 – Sunday 26) marks the first northern regional camp of the 2023/24 campaign.
Head coach Jonathan Pendlebury and assistant coach Will Parkin have selected nine previously-capped players in a 33-member squad for the assembly in Burton-upon-Trent.
The prestigious national football centre has previously been utilised by the RFU’s senior and pathway sides down through the years, and now hosts the country’s brightest young talents in English rugby once more.
Nine academies are represented in the makeup of the travelling squad, including eight players from the RFU-led Yorkshire and Midlands Central set-ups.
This weekend’s action is swiftly followed by the last development meeting for the U18 Men this year, held at the southern regional camp at Bisham Abbey (1 – 3 December) before an interval for the team.
The pause on national U18 activity allows for players to complete their respective club, college, schools and Premiership Rugby Academy League fixtures over the festive period and into the new year, where selection for the February half-term camp is finalised ahead of March and April U18 competition activity.
The three-day camp at Bisham boasts 14 previously-capped pathway representatives, including 13 tourists to South Africa over the summer, who bring the total number of schools and colleges represented across both weekends to 41. All 10 Premiership Rugby academies are represented, with the Midlands Central, Yorkshire and London & South Central academies included.
The U18 Men’s side return to familiar surroundings in Berkshire next week with a wider 37-player cohort hailing from eight different Premiership academies, as well as the Midlands Central and London & South Central academies.
Both meetings for the age-grade side aim to instil the pathway principles of exploration and adaptation, including the in-game foundations of speed, attachment and space, to a wider catchment of players whilst utilising state-of-the-art facilities at both locations.
The programme consisting of high-intensity rugby sessions will be supplemented by the attendance of all Pathway rugby coaches in continued cohesion between U18s and U20s staff.
Since October’s development camp in Bisham, players have been provided with remote psychology and nutrition sessions in extended support from the pathway system in conjunction with respective academy systems.
Pendlebury and his management team welcome new addition Nathan Catt for the first time since his appointment as England Rugby Pathway scrum coach, who spoke on his expectations ahead of the camps.
Catt said: “It’s great to be involved with the team and be part of my first camp here, a lot of planning and dedication has gone into the next few weekends to provide the best experiences for the two cohorts.
“It’s a great privilege for us as staff, as well as the squad members, to have access to the quality facilities at St. George’s Park and Bisham Abbey – we're very thankful to our hosts.
“Above all, I’m excited to see the array of talent we have available to us and to implement our programme with these 70 lads, many of whom are experiencing their first camp with England Rugby. My role allows me to work with young players possessing some of the best skillsets in the country, and I look forward to helping the boys realise their potential.”
England U18 Men’s squad for St. George’s Park camp (includes academy and school)
Lawrence Adediran (Leicester Tigers, Brooksby College)
Ben Agbenu (Northampton Saints, Bedford School)
Henry Bartlett (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff)
Rhys Beekmans (Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth ACE)
Jack Cotgreave (Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College)
Ollie Davies (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar) *
Tom Davis (Sale Sharks, St Mary's College, Crosby)
Joe Davis (Newcastle Falcons, Barnard Castle School)
Jack Dickens (Leicester Tigers, Trent College)
Josh Farley (Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth ACE)
Robert Gaffan (Northampton Saints, Rugby School)
Sam Graham (Newcastle Falcons, Durham School) *
Dom Hanson (Sale Sharks, Stockport Grammar) *
Patrick Hogg (Newcastle Falcons, Durham School)
Archie Hurford (Yorkshire Academy, Woodhouse Grove)
Callum Hyland Dugbo (Yorkshire Academy, Woodhouse Grove)
Seb Kelly (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar)
Bronson Kingsley-Mellowes (Leicester Tigers, Brooksby College)
Jack Lightbown (Sale Sharks, The Sixth Form Bolton) *
Alfie Longstaff (Yorkshire Academy, Woodhouse Grove) *
Tubuna Maka (Leicester Tigers, Brooksby College)
Emosi Nabakeke (Midlands Central, Queen Ethelburga College)
Finn Newton (Saracens, Haileybury) *
Julian Nunn (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff)
Billy Pasco (Northampton Saints, Oundle School) *
Louie Platt (Yorkshire Academy, Mount St Marys) *
Fraser Rawlins (Saracens, Haileybury)
Oscar Rees (Midlands Central, Radley College)
Jake Roberts (Midlands Central, Rugby School)
Ethan Surrey (Midlands Central, City of Oxford College)
Sonny Tonga’uiha (Northampton Saints, Northampton School for Boys)
Connor Treacey (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff) *
Rafe Witheat (Northampton Saints, Stowe School)
*denotes a previously capped player at pathway level
England U18 Men’s squad for Bisham Abbey camp (includes academy and school)
Tayo Adegbemile (Saracens, St Albans School) *
Olly Allport (Gloucester Rugby, Dean Close School)
Jonno Balding (Gloucester Rugby, Radley College)
Finn Bloomer (Saracens, Richard Hale School)
Jack Bracken (Saracens, St Albans School) *
Ronan Daniell (Harlequins, Hurstpierpoint College) *
Digby Eliot (Northampton Saints, Radley College)
Luke Evans (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College)
Charlie Evered (Exeter Chiefs, Truro College)
Jed Findlay (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College)
Lucas Friday (Harlequins, Trinity School) *
Charlie Griffin (Saracens, Harrow School) *
Deian Gwynne (Hartpury College)
Angus Hall (Saracens, The Judd School, Tonbridge) *
Finn Keylock (London & South Central Academy, Bishop Wand)
Nick Lilley (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College) *
James Linegar (Bath Rugby, Kingswood School)
Josh Mann (Exeter Chiefs, Truro College)
Charlie Mason (Midlands Central, St Edwards School, Oxford) *
Jamie Miller (Harlequins, Whitgift School) *
Gethin O'Callaghan (Bristol Bears, Christ College Brecon)
Tyler Offiah (London & South Central Academy, Wellington College)
George Pearson (Midlands Central, City of Oxford College)
Josh Pengilly (Exeter Chiefs, Truro College)
Ted Phillips (Bristol Bears, Clifton College)
Zuko Robb (Harlequins, Gordons School, ACE)
Solomon Shand (Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College) *
Jimmy Staples (Harlequins, Seaford College)
Ben Stevens-Woodmansey (Exeter Chiefs, Truro College)
Ollie Streeter (Harlequins, Gordon's School)
Kepueli Tuipulotu (London & South Central Academy, Harrow School) *
Ben Webb (Harlequins, Gordon's School)
Jonny Weimann (Northampton Saints, Bedford School)
Charlie West (Saracens, St Albans School) *
Toby Wilson (Sale Sharks, Kings Macclesfield) *
Sam Winters (London & South Central Academy, Harrow School)
Finlay Wiseman (London & South Central Academy, Hampton School) *
*denotes a previously capped player at pathway level
