RugbyRebels

England squad for World Rugby U20 Championship

Olly Adkins (Gloucester Rugby)
Alfie Barbeary (Wasps) – Bloxham School
Josh Basham (Newcastle Falcons)
Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Tom de Glanville (Bath Rugby)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
Connor Doherty (Sale Sharks)
Nic Dolly (Sale Sharks)
Ollie Fox (Yorkshire Carnegie)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors)
Aaron Hinkley (Gloucester Rugby)
Josh Hodge (Newcastle Falcons)
Joel Kpoku (Saracens)
Samson Ma'asi (Northampton Saints)
Sam Maunder (Exeter Chiefs)
Kai Owen (Worcester Warriors)
Alfie Petch (Exeter Chiefs)
Cameron Redpath (Sale Sharks)
Arron Reed (Sale Sharks)
Tom Seabrook (Gloucester Rugby)
Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Marcus Street (Exeter Chiefs)
Rusiate Tuima (Exeter Chiefs)
Manu Vunipola (Saracens)
Tom Willis (Wasps)

England U20 fixtures

4 June: England U20s v Ireland U20s (KO 7.30pm BST), live on World Rugby platforms.
8 June: England U20s v Italy U20s (KO 7.30pm BST), live on World Rugby platforms.
12 June: England U20s v Australia U20s (KO 7.30pm BST), live on World Rugby platforms.
Knockout stages on Monday, 17 June and finals day on Saturday, 22 June, live on ITV.

Is Lawrence crocked? Fraser D only just fit too.

Yep, Lawrence unavailable which is real shame.
Very good props, 2 strong 2nd rows, plenty of back row options, a fair bit of versatility, some classy playmakers and a couple of real speedsters on the wing.
First game is key.

Outside of the obvious (Kpoku, Smith, Barbeary, Redpath, Willis ...), who's good in this squad?

TheNomad wrote:Outside of the obvious (Kpoku, Smith, Barbeary, Redpath, Willis ...), who's good in this squad?

There's a lot of good. Hill and Hinkley are going to be forces to be reckoned with on the flanks, Joe Heyes is playing adults rugby for Leicester at tighthead, Sleightholme's looked very handy for Saints and Hodge is a very fleet-footed full-back.

A lesser known name is Rus Tuima, who is a hard-carrying 8 (brother of Lagi Tuima who's a centre for England Women) and who I think will turn into something very handy.

Puja

Oh yeah, Ted Hill! He's going to be brilliant at that level.

Tuima I like too - he's a hell of a unit. Sleighthome has a couple of Prem tries to his name doesn't he?

I might be thinking of Dingwall actually re: tries

Murley is out also he would tear it up at u20.

Sleightholme scored with his first ever touch in the Premiership

Tom Seabrook and Arron Reed are Prem standard wings already too. Seabrook in particular could be a bit of a brute at u20 level.

As usual it's a solid squad with a good chance to go all the way. Generally an older group too right? Jrwc seem to often be won in the end by the extra physicality the older guys can often bring.

Raggs wrote:As usual it's a solid squad with a good chance to go all the way. Generally an older group too right? Jrwc seem to often be won in the end by the extra physicality the older guys can often bring.

9 of the squad are eligible to play again next year, which is about normal. Last year it was 8 if memory serves.

Raggs wrote:As usual it's a solid squad with a good chance to go all the way. Generally an older group too right? Jrwc seem to often be won in the end by the extra physicality the older guys can often bring.

Bit more Prem and senior rugby experience in this squad than normal? I count around 15/16 who have played Prem rugby this season.

TheNomad wrote:Outside of the obvious (Kpoku, Smith, Barbeary, Redpath, Willis ...), who's good in this squad?

Outside of those I'd highlight:

Street and Heyes - two excellent tightheads. Street has been playing U20s for 3 years now and was always ahead of Heyes in juniors, but Heyes has caught up and got the chance at prem level and exceeded. Both will have very bright futures.

Capstick - looks a very handy backrower who has less headlines than Hill or Hinkley, but another already playing prem rugby down at the Chiefs. He's really pushed on in his first season out of school. Going to be a good one.

People have already mentioned tohers like Hodge.

Doherty is one to watch next season to see how he progresses, but in the backs I'm really pleased to see DIngwall back. He's a super intelligent player, with the skillset to back it up. Took his chance at Saints when he got it and then sadly got injured. A big reason why they're letting Burrell go.

Epaminondas Pules wrote:Capstick - looks a very handy backrower who has less headlines than Hill or Hinkley, but another already playing prem rugby down at the Chiefs. He's really pushed on in his first season out of school. Going to be a good one.

Interested to hear a report on him. My only sight of him was the Saracens vs Exeter game last week, in which he was not impressive to say the least. Understandable, given it's his Prem debut and massive step up, etc, etc, but glad to hear he's generally highly rated to offset that.

Puja

Timbo wrote:

Raggs wrote:As usual it's a solid squad with a good chance to go all the way. Generally an older group too right? Jrwc seem to often be won in the end by the extra physicality the older guys can often bring.

Bit more Prem and senior rugby experience in this squad than normal? I count around 15/16 who have played Prem rugby this season.

Certainly. As ever, many have a couple of first team games, but then a fair amount of A league and lower league experience. Then with that theres players with significant experience, like Smith, Hill and Heyes. All in it is probably the most experienced side I've seen. Its a damn good squad!

Puja wrote:

Epaminondas Pules wrote:Capstick - looks a very handy backrower who has less headlines than Hill or Hinkley, but another already playing prem rugby down at the Chiefs. He's really pushed on in his first season out of school. Going to be a good one.

Interested to hear a report on him. My only sight of him was the Saracens vs Exeter game last week, in which he was not impressive to say the least. Understandable, given it's his Prem debut and massive step up, etc, etc, but glad to hear he's generally highly rated to offset that.

Puja

First start. And a rather mismatched contest.

He's got a bit of everything. Is good over the ball, but you wouldn't say he was a Curry in that facet. Intelligent with the ball and surprisingly strong for his frame. Gets on the ball a lot, carries well, but also has the eyes and hands to bring others into the game. Rapid too. Decent lineout option. Good tackler. Quite disruptive in the tight. Next season will be a big one for him, in terms of pushing on and getting that regular game time if he can in a very contested area.

For his first year out of school he's matured well. He's already forcing his way into that first team contention at Chiefs, which says something in itself.

Oh and a shout to Kai Owen who has come on leaps and bounds this year. Was unsure about him in the right, but he’s really getting there. Always been dynamic and exciting but his core needed to come on and he’s obviously really worked on it.

Hopefully Smith will perform to his Prem level at U20's level.

Been quite disappointing at this age group for whatever reason. (Maybe he doesn't try as hard or tries too much who knows).

Tigersman wrote:Hopefully Smith will perform to his Prem level at U20's level.

Been quite disappointing at this age group for whatever reason. (Maybe he doesn't try as hard or tries too much who knows).

It's always looked to me that he's tried too hard. At Quins, he's looked at his best with less pressure and fewer expectations - it's noticeable he's come back stroger after being dropped for a while and not having to deal with the pressure of being the starting 10, leading the line. When I've seen him at U20s, he looks like he's trying to force it and take it all on himself - to act like the adult amongst children - and it's hampered his game.

Puja

Puja wrote:

Tigersman wrote:Hopefully Smith will perform to his Prem level at U20's level.

Been quite disappointing at this age group for whatever reason. (Maybe he doesn't try as hard or tries too much who knows).

It's always looked to me that he's tried too hard. At Quins, he's looked at his best with less pressure and fewer expectations - it's noticeable he's come back stroger after being dropped for a while and not having to deal with the pressure of being the starting 10, leading the line. When I've seen him at U20s, he looks like he's trying to force it and take it all on himself - to act like the adult amongst children - and it's hampered his game.

Puja

Having Care as his 9 really does help, though. He can take the playmaking pressure right off at Premiership level.

Marcus Street, Samson Ma’asi (both injury) and Marcus Smith (England duty) out for England 20s, James Kenny, Will Capon and Luke James in.

I hadn't realised Luke James wasn't there already. Seems bizarre - he's had a great season with Sale.

Puja

Is Smith completely out? I hope that's not just for the baabaas, but he's in the rwc camp too. Street is a big loss. It was surprising James wasn't in already.

Dingwall named as capt.