Bates calls up the big guns for Six Nations
TED HILL, who made his England senior debut in the November Internationals, is among the U20 squad named by Steve Bates for 2018/19.
Of the 32 players named, 14 have been capped at U20 level previously with 10 playing in last year’s final defeat of the World Rugby U20 Championship to hosts France.
The squad will meet at Bisham Abbey today for a weeklong training camp, before coming together again on January 27 ahead of their 2019 U20s Six Nations opener with Ireland at the Irish Independent Park in Cork on Friday February 1.
The squad, which will compete in the 2019 Six Nations as well as the World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina, will be led by former England scrum-half Bates and Jim Mallinder, and fellow coaches Mark Hopley (Northampton), James Scaysbrook and Richard Whiffin (Gloucester).
Hopley, Scaysbrook and Whiffin join for the season as part of the latest coach development programme agreement between England Rugby and Premiership Rugby.
Bates, who has also selected Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith, below, said: “Selecting the 32-player squad was a very difficult task which reflects the quality of the group. We have several players with Premiership experience and that speaks volumes of how good they are.
“The expectation for us now is to raise the standard and quality of performance from last season’s group and for the players to continue to develop in this environment.
“We used close to 40 players in last year’s Six Nations, there will always be injuries and those outside of the 32 will still be required so my message to them is to stay fit, stay interested and to continue playing well.
“One of the big things about U20s rugby is that we want the players to drive the game and environment we create. These are the best players at their age and we want them to perform like it on and off the pitch.
“The wider group will meet on Sunday and during the week we need to set some parameters around how we want to play, for the players to continue to get to know each other on and off the pitch so it becomes instinctive when they play, as well as to develop our set piece and defensive organisation.” After the opener in Ireland, England then take on France on February 9 at Exeter’s Sandy Park, followed by Wales on February 22 at Colwyn Bay, Italy on March 8 at Bedford Blues’ Goldington Road and they finish against Scotland on March 15 at Northampton’s Franklin’s Gardens. The 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship will be held in May.