Northampton Saints Academy players Charlie Tamani, Hugh Shields and Jack Lewis will start for England U18s against South Africa on Saturday (16 August, kick-off 2:30pm BST) at Paarl Gimnasium, with Aiden Reid and Sonny Goode set to come off the bench.
All five players have featured in both fixtures for England U18s so far this series with Tamani starting his fourth consecutive England U18 Men’s fixture this Saturday.
Head coach Jonathan Pendlebury said: “Whilst results have been disappointing, our collective development over the past two weeks remains the most important aspect of these age group tours, especially when our players are the school age group below.
“We recognise the areas we need to improve and have taken ownership ahead of a massive encounter on Saturday. It will be their biggest challenge yet as age group players, and no better opportunity to get better than to play South Africa away from home.
“Our final Test against our hosts will demand the highest performance from our playing and staff group – increased competition and new environments drive development for us all.
“Our intention is to always get better and better, and we endeavour to seize the opportunity this weekend.”
All International Series fixtures will be streamed live on SuperSport Schools.
England vs South Africa
Saturday 16 August, 2025
Paarl Gimnasium
Kick-off: 2:30pm
15 Ajay Edwards (Newcastle Red Bulls, Durham School, Peterlee and Horden Rugby Club and Durham City, 3 caps)
14 Krystof Wood (Gloucester Rugby, Bromsgrove School, Bromsgrove Rugby Club, 2 caps)
13 Ollie Batson (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter School, Exmouth RFC, 2 caps)
12 Declan Treacey (c) (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff School, New Milton Rugby Club, 5 caps)
11 Charlie Tamani (Northampton Saints, Finborough School, Bury St. Edmunds RUFC, 6 caps)
10 Hugh Shields (Northampton Saints, Northampton School for Boys, Old Northamptonians RFC, 5 caps)
9 James Townsend (Leicester Tigers, Warwick School, Harbury RFC, 4 caps)
1 Oliver Spencer (Sale Sharks, Grammar School at Leeds, Harrogate RUFC, 6 caps)
2 Casper Wheeler (Bristol Bears, Hartpury College, Winscombe RFC, 2 caps)
3 Lawrence Ogbonnaya (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School, Winnington Park Rugby Club, 3 caps)
4 Kwame Bekoe (Leicester Tigers, Norwich School, Norwich Rugby Club, 2 caps)
5 Henry Laidlow (Harlequins, Trinity School, Twickenham RFC, 6 caps)
6 Henry Horsfall (Gloucester Rugby, Kings Worcester, Clee Hill RUFC, 2 caps)
7 Jack Lewis (Northampton Saints, Northampton School for Boys, Ashby RFC, 4 caps)
8 Charlie Bray (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School, Preston Grasshoppers RFC, 4 caps)
Replacements
16 Marcus Southwell (Leicester Tigers, Oakham School, Market Harborough RFC, 2 caps)
17 Aiden Reid (Northampton Saints, Northampton School for Boys, Olney RFC, 3 caps)
18 Seva Batikora (Leicester Tigers, Brooksby College, Stamford Rugby, 2 caps)
19 Freddie Jones (Saracens, Sutton Valence School, Tunbridge Wells RFC, 2 caps)
20 Jordan Ikeh (Sale Sharks, Stockport Grammar, Stockport Rugby Club, 2 caps)
21 AJ Henry (Saracens, Mill Hill, Dartford Valley Rugby Club, 2 caps)
22 Will Bayston (Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School, Selby RUFC, 2 caps)
23 Oscar Talbot (Leicester Tigers, Rugby School, Barkers Butts RFC, 6 caps)
24 Will Payton (Leicester Tigers, Warwick School, Silhillians Rugby Club, 2 cap)
25 Sonny Goode (Northampton Saints, Bloxham School, Banbury Rugby Club, 1 cap)
