Northampton Saints Under-18s players Ben Agbenu, Robert Gaffan, and Jonny Weimann have all been included in England’s squad for the first meeting of the pathway side this season at Bisham Abbey.
Head coach Jonathan Pendlebury has selected a 40-player group for the camp, which takes place from Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 October and follows on from specialist front-five forwards sessions held across September and October.
Saints trio Agbenu, Gaffan, and Weimann have all been involved in Black, Green and Gold this season, playing in the opening two rounds of the Premiership Rugby Academy League for Northampton, and their performances have been rewarded with their first call-ups into the England pathway system.
The camp includes players selected from all four RFU centralised academies, as well as nine Gallagher Premiership academies.
England’s coaches have coordinated a three-day programme embedding the foundations of England’s age-grade principles of exploration, adaptation and levelling up with on-field activities in units and in-game scenarios.
Taking charge of his first full camp since officially joining the RFU, England Under-18s Men’s assistant coach Will Parkin set the scene for this week’s meeting in Bisham.
“This is the first camp of the season for the boys since returning from the summer series in South Africa,” he stated.
“We spoke in the summer about getting better and better and we are looking to continue that focus heading into this weekend.”
Will Parkin, England U18s Assistant Coach
“The players have been away over the last two months, finishing the summer with their academies in Rounds 1 and 2 of the Premiership Rugby Academy League and then starting the season playing for their clubs, schools and colleges.
“Jon [Pendlebury] and I would like to thank their coaches and teachers for their commitment to giving these boys valuable minutes on the pitch.
“It sees us bringing 40 boys together, of which 14 are new into the pathway off the back of their performances for their respective teams. This is an exciting opportunity for us to see them in a new environment and for the players to have the opportunity to test themselves and develop their ability at a higher level.
“These next few days will see us continue to focus on our principles of SAS (Speed, Attachment, Space) whilst putting the boys under pressure to develop their fundamental skills, so that they go back to their clubs as ever-improving players.
“Developing players for England Rugby is something that I am incredibly passionate about. I’m excited about getting the boys together this week for us to continue the work from the summer and to see how much we can enhance our game.”
England Under-18 Men’s October Development Camp Squad
Lawrence Adediran (Leicester Tigers, Brooksby College)
Tayo Adegbemile (Saracens, St Albans School)
Ben Agbenu (Northampton Saints, Bedford School)
Jack Bracken (Saracens, St Albans School)
Will Conduit (Midlands West, Stourport College, ACE)
Ronan Daniell (Harlequins, Hurstpierpoint College)
Ollie Davies (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar)
Tom Davis (Sale Sharks, St Mary's College, Crosby)
Charlie Evered (Exeter Chiefs, Truro College)
Robert Gaffan (Northampton Saints, Rugby School)
Sam Graham (Newcastle Falcons, Durham School)
Charlie Griffin (Saracens, Harrow School)
Deian Gwynne (Hartpury College)
Angus Hall (Saracens, The Judd School, Tonbridge)
Dom Hanson (Sale Sharks, Stockport Grammar)
Patrick Hogg (Newcastle Falcons, Durham School)
Archie Hurford (Yorkshire Academy, Woodhouse Grove)
Jack Lightbown (Sale Sharks, The Sixth Form Bolton)
Nick Lilley (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College)
James Linegar (Bath Rugby, Kingswood School)
Alfie Longstaff (Yorkshire Academy, Woodhouse Grove)
Josh Mann (Exeter Chiefs, Truro College)
Jamie Miller (Harlequins, Whitgift School)
Finn Newton (Saracens, Haileybury)
Tyler Offiah (London & South Central Academy, Wellington College)
George Pearson (Midlands Central, City of Oxford College)
Josh Pengilly (Exeter Chiefs, Truro College)
Louie Platt (Yorkshire Academy, Mount St Marys)
Zuko Robb (Harlequins, Gordons School, ACE)
Solomon Shand (Gloucester Rugby, Hartpury College)
Ollie Streeter (Harlequins, Gordon's School)
Ethan Surrey (Midlands Central, City of Oxford College)
Tom Threlfall (Leicester Tigers, Nottingham High School)
Connor Treacey (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff)
Kepueli Tuipulotu (London & South Central Academy, Harrow School)
Ben Webb (Harlequins, Gordon's School)
Jonny Weimann (Northampton Saints, Bedford School)
Charlie West (Saracens, St Albans School)
Sam Winters (London & South Central Academy, Harrow School)
Finlay Wiseman (London & South Central Academy, Hampton School)
