Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Ludlow will lead England in ‘A’ clash
GLOUCESTER’S Lewis Ludlow will captain England ‘A’ in their Welford Road clash with their Scotland counterparts tomorrow.
England have selected 11 uncapped players for the non-cap international, including Ludlow, pictured, with Leicester prop Ellis Genge vice-captain on home turf.
Bristol’s Harry Randall and Wasps’ Jacob Umaga will pair up at half-back, with Worcester’s Ollie Lawrence, Bristol’s on-loan Max Malins and Bath skipper Charlie Ewels joining Genge as the only fully-capped players in the starting line-up.
Meanwhile, it is hoped that injured duo Sam Underhill and Fraser Dingwall will be able to feature in the upcoming Tests against the USA and Canada.
Bath flanker Underhill will miss tomorrow’s encounter due to concussion, while Northampton centre Dingwall has picked up a calf problem.
England entertain the USA at Twickenham on July 4 before hosting Canada on July 10, with Red Rose bosses refusing to rule out Underhill or Dingwall from full Test action.
“Sam Underhill will go through the HIA (head injury assessment) protocol,” said England A head coach John Mitchell.
“And Fraser’s calf we feel that will recover. But with calves you’ve got to take your time.
“But the competition in the squad has been huge.”
EXETER Chiefs boss Rob Baxter hopes his side’s vast Gallagher Premiership final experience can underpin their title bid against Harlequins today.
Baxter’s men head to Twickenham for a sixth successive season – only Leicester have played more domestic finals on the bounce – as they look to retain their Premiership silverware.
Quins, buoyant after a spectacular play-off victory over Bristol Bears last weekend, were last crowned English champions nine years ago.
Baxter concedes that they are a “dangerous” team playing with “smiles on their faces” ahead of what promises to be a fascinating clash.
“You’d have to be a fool to not notice what Quins did last week,” Baxter said.
“You look at their players and you can see they look comfortable, they look as though they are enjoying the way they play, and they are playing with smiles on their faces.
“When you get a team like that, it makes them dangerous.
“Bristol have been a good team this season and have beaten most sides, including ourselves, yet Quins made them look pretty ordinary for a good chunk of that game.
“We have to make sure we don’t ever look ordinary in the game, and that means focusing on being the best versions of ourselves we can be.
“That is what I have got to hope the experience of previous finals gives us.
“Being the best versions of ourselves is pretty good and it can win us games, but you do have to drive it, you have to stick at it and you do have to be able to revert to it and bring yourself back to it when you do come under pressure.”
Baxter has named an unchanged team after last Saturday’s play-off win against Sale, including another start at full-back for Jack Nowell, with Scotland captain Stuart Hogg featuring among the replacements.
There are three switches for Quins, with centre Andre Esterhuizen returning after suspension, wing Cadan Murley replacing an injured Aaron Morris and flanker James Chisholm preferred to Tom Lawday.
Quins have won 12 of their 17 Premiership games since head of rugby Paul Gustard left his role in January, and arrive at Twickenham after amassing 96 league tries.
But defence and lineout coach Jerry Flannery warned: “If you go 28-0 down against Exeter, like we did against Bristol, Exeter don’t blow leads like that.”