The sons also rise for young England

ENGLAND’S next generation contained so many chips off so many old blocks in Colwyn Bay last weekend that their Wales opponents could have done with a few lumberjacks. Not surprisingly, they couldn’t see the wood for the trees.

Four of the England U20s were sons of internationals. There was Jacob Umaga, son of Mike and nephew of Tana; James Grayson, whose dad, Paul, played for England; Ollie Dawe, a teenaged prop whose father, Graham, hooked for England and Bath’s blockbuster of a No.8, Zach Mercer.

His dad, Gary, a Kiwi Rugby League international who came to England 30 years ago, switched to Union as a coach and has worked with the Scotland national team as well as Glasgow Warriors.

England are not the only U20s team boasting some famous names. Seventeen years after Emile Ntamack won his last cap, the French juniors picked his 17-year-old son, Romain, at stand-off for their emphatic home win over Scotland.