England U18 head coach John Fletcher has named a strong squad for the first of this season's international programme against Ireland on Thursday, December 30.

England to send strong youth sides to Ireland

England U18 head coach John Fletcher has named a strong squad for the first of this season's international programme against Ireland on Thursday, December 30.

The action, a qualifying game for next April’s FIRA-AER tournament in France, gets underway at Donnybrook Stadium in Dublin at 2pm, and is a fixture Fletcher is thoroughly looking forward to.

“We’ve got a lot of new players in the squad this season,” he said. “It’s our first real chance to see a lot of these lads in an competitive environment and it’ll be interesting to see how they got on.

“Ireland are a good side and Dublin is never an easy place to play, but I think we’ll be well prepared.”

England U18 Squad to face Ireland U18

Forwards: Dominic Barrow (Leeds Carnegie), Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Rugby), Max Crumpton (Saracens), Matt Hankin (Saracens), Danny Herriott (Northampton Saints), Alec Hepburn (London Wasps), Gus Jones (London Wasps), Tom Jubb (Saracens), Nathan Morris (London Wasps), Tom Price (Leicester Tigers), David Sisi (London Irish), Tom Smallbone (London Irish)

Backs: Jack Arnott (Exeter Chiefs), Alex Day (Northampton Saints), Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs), Will Hooley (Northampton Saints), Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks), James Lightfoot-Brown (London Irish), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Mitchell Tamiau (London Wasps), Anthony Watson (London Irish)

Elsewhere, U20 head coach Rob Hunter will take charge of an uncapped match between an U19 England Academies Squad and their Irish counterparts at nearby Old Belvedere RFC on the same day, kick off 12pm.

Hunter has a plethora of talent at his disposal, with the likes of Billy Vunipola, Elliot Daly (London Wasps), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Ryan Mills (Gloucester Rugby) and Ben Ransom (Saracens) all in the squad.

Hunter said: “This is a great opportunity for the lads to show us what they can do. There’s a lot of talent in the squad and a few U20 players in the mix too, so it should be a good match up.”

U19 England Academies Squad to face Ireland U19

Forwards: Nick Auterac (Saracens), Koree Britton (Gloucester Rugby), Will Tanner (Bath Rugby), Ant Brennan (London Wasps), Mal Hearn (Exeter Chiefs), George Merrick (Harlequins), Will Spencer (Bath Rugby), Will Skuse (Bath Rugby), Ben Nutley (Northampton Saints), Chris Walker (Worcester Warriors), Sam Northcote-Green (London Wasps), Billy Vunipola (London Wasps)

Backs: Dan Robson (Gloucester Rugby), Jonah Holmes (London Wasps), Joel Hodgson (Newcastle Falcons), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Elliot Daly (London Wasps), Ryan Mills (Gloucester Rugby), Curtis Wilson (Leeds Carnegie), Jamie Elliott (Northampton Saints), Charlie Walker (Harlequins), Tommy Bell (Sale Sharks), Ben Ransom (Saracens)