Falcons quartet in England U20 squad
Four Newcastle Falcons players have been named in the England U20 squad to take on Bath United at Shaftesbury Park on Saturday afternoon (2pm kick-off)
Ben Douglas starts at scrum-half alongside Ben Redshaw at full-back, with hooker Jacob Oliver and centre Oliver Spencer named on the bench.
In preparation for the upcoming 2024 U20 Six Nations, the U20s encounter sees them meeting an academy-focused Bath outfit led by head academy coach Andy Robinson at the home of Dings Crusaders, Shaftesbury Park.
Entry to see the first meeting between Bath Rugby and the pathway team is free and available on a first come, first served basis.
England U20s’ head coach Mark Mapletoft said: “It’s been a real pleasure to bring this new cohort together over the last week, the boys have showcased a real intent on proving themselves in a game capacity for the first time.
“Our training regime has reflected the intensity we want to arrive with in Saturday’s game with Bath. We know Bath’s capabilities in producing some of the country’s best talent, so this weekend’s meeting is a suitable one for our boys.
“Myself, Andy and the rest of the coaching staff expect a really competitive 80 minutes at Shaftesbury Park. The boys are aware that the U20 Six Nations awaits in a few weeks, but our focus remains on attaining a positive performance on Saturday afternoon.”
A ticket bundle for England U20s’ home U20 Six Nations fixtures at the Rec against Wales and Ireland can be purchased HERE.
England U20s’ side to face Bath United
1 Cameron Miell (Leicester Tigers)
2 Craig Wright (Northampton Saints) *
3 Billy Sela (Bath Rugby)
4 Olamide Sodeke (Saracens)
5 Joe Bailey (Exeter Chiefs) *
6 Nathan Michelow (C) (Saracens) *
7 Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
8 Lucas Schmid (Harlequins)
9 Ben Douglas (Newcastle Falcons)
10 Rory Taylor (Gloucester Rugby)
11 Sean Kerr (Harlequins)
12 Ben Waghorn (Harlequins) *
13 Toby Cousins (Northampton Saints) *
14 Alex Wills (Sale Sharks) *
15 Ben Redshaw (Newcastle Falcons)
Replacements
16 Scott Kirk (Bath Rugby)
17 Jacob Oliver (Newcastle Falcons)
18 James Halliwell (Bristol Bears) *
19 Junior Kpoku (Racing 92)
20 Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers) *
21 Zach Carr (Harlequins) *
22 Max Blinkhorn (Nottingham University)
23 Josh Bellamy (Harlequins)
24 Oliver Spencer (Newcastle Falcons)
25 Will Glister (Northampton Saints)
26 Ioan Jones (Gloucester Rugby)
*denotes a player previously capped at U20 level
England U20 Men’s 2024 U20 Six Nations fixtures
2 February – Italy v England – 19:15 – Stadio Monigo, Treviso
9 February – England v Wales – 19:15 – The Recreation Ground. Tickets available here.
23 February – Scotland v England – 19:15 – Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
8 March – England v Ireland – 19:15 – The Recreation Ground. Tickets available here.
15 March – France v England – 20:00 – Stade du Hameau, Pau
