Northampton Saints starlets Ethan Grayson and Dani Long-Martinez have both been selected by England U18s head coach Jonathan Pendlebury for a development camp at Bisham Abbey later this month.
The duo will link up with a 46-strong squad between the 20th and 23rd of February, as the Red Rose prepare for two standalone fixtures against Scotland and France, before April’s U18s Six Nations Festival in France.
Utility-back Grayson was part of the England’s summer development tour to South Africa – which marks the start of the U18s’ international season.
But for Long-Martinez it is a first involvement at this level, after the wing impressed for Saints during the U18s Academy League this season.
The U18 Six Nations Festival is competed by England, France, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Italy with each nation playing three fixtures over two weeks.
“My first priority is to get to know these players as well as I can. The players are the pathway,” said Pendlebury.
“The sessions will be a step up from the last ten weeks of U18 Academy League fixtures that they have participated in. I expect the players to ‘explore boundaries’ which could be a way of playing or executing a skill or tactic, and look to learn something from each session and particularly each game that may support their progression.
“We will explore different themes in attack, defence and transition and how we execute or look to utilise these will be a main theme for the U18 group going forwards.”
England U18s squad for February development camp
Forwards
Fin Baxter - Harlequins (Wellington College)
Corey Bowker - Sale Sharks (Kirkham Grammar)
Phil Brantingham - Newcastle Falcons (RGS Newcastle)
Arthur Clark - Gloucester Rugby (Hartpury College)
Joe Elsworth - Exeter Chiefs (Exeter College)
Jack Forsythe - Worcester Warriors (Warwick School)
Ben Grubb - Exeter Chiefs (Truro College)
Tarek Haffar - London Irish (St Pauls College)
Emeka Ilione - Leicester Tigers (Rugby School)
Obinna Nkwocha - Saracens (Felsted School)
Ethan Pearce-Cowley - Exeter Chiefs Truro College
Ewan Richards - Bath Rugby (Millfield School)
Charlie Rice - Bristol Bears (SGS College Filton)
Marcus Rhodes - London Irish (Wellington College)
Jack Rowntree - Leicester Tigers (Leicester Grammar School)
Ethan Staddon - Bath Rugby (Beechen Cliff School)
John Stewart - Bath Rugby (Beechen Cliff School)
Tristan Smith - Saracens (Felsted School)
Kit Smith - Leicester Tigers (Oakham School)
George Taylor - Bristol Bears (Bristol Grammar School)
Freddie Thomas - Gloucester Rugby (Dean Close School)
Will Trenholm - Harlequins (Cranleigh School)
Andrew Turner - Bristol Bears (SGS College Filton)
Joe Vajner - London Irish (Whitgift School)
Archie Vanes - Leicester Tigers (Brooksby Melton College)
Owen Vassello – Newcastle Falcons (Durham School)
Backs
Charlie Atkinson - Wasps (Abingdon School)
Seb Atkinson - Worcester Warriors (Bromsgrove School)
Deago Bailey - Bristol Bears (SGS Filton)
Orlando Bailey - Bath Rugby (Beechen Cliff School)
Oscar Beard - Harlequins (Cranleigh School)
Jamie Benson – Harlequins (Hampton School)
Sam Bryan - Saracens (Felsted School)
Cassius Cleaves - Harlequins (Wellington College)
Ethan Grayson - Northampton Saints (Northampton School for Boys)
Olly Hartley - Wasps (Whitgift School)
Louis Hillman-Cooper - Gloucester Rugby (Cheltenham College)
Brandon Jackson - Saracens (Sutton Valence School)
Matty Jones - Gloucester Rugby (Dean Close School)
Will Joseph - London Irish (Millfield School)
Dani Long-Martinez - Northampton Saints (Norwich School)
Rory Morgan - London Irish (St Pauls College)
Finlay Smith - Worcester Warriors (Warwick School)
Matthew Ward - Newcastle Falcons (Gosforth Academy)
TJ Wilstead - Bristol Bears (Colston's School)
Ollie Wynn - Worcester Warriors (Bromsgrove School)
Next Home Match
