Northampton Saints’ starlets Toby Cousins, Nick Tarr and Craig Wright have all been named in the England Under-18s squad for this month’s Six Nations Festival.
Tarr and Wright were last week announced as part of the Club’s Senior Academy intake for the 2022/23 season, alongside six other Under-18 players, while 17-year-old Cousins is playing a year above his age group and will continue to represent Northampton’s Under-18s side (as well as Oakham School) next term.
The event takes place at the FFR National Centre in Marcoussis, France between Saturday 9 and Sunday 17 April, and involves all six countries that compete in the senior Six Nations Championship – although teams will play three 70-minute matches each.
England take on Wales in their first game, having beaten the same side 37-20 on Sunday 20 March, before locking horns with Italy and then Scotland.
Head coach Jonathan Pendlebury said: “We were pleased with the way the team played against Wales recently, and I’m sure this group will take a lot from that as they head into the first game of the Festival.
“This will be a great opportunity for the group to spend ten days together, cement relationships, learn from one another and take something from the experience.”
Jonathan Pendlebury, England Under-18s Head Coach
“They can put all this into practice either back at their club, or when they next meet in future England age group and representative environments.
“The squad is really looking forward to the Festival, which is able to take place for the first time since the pandemic began. Events such as these are an important development experience for players at this age, and we’re really pleased it’s able to take place again.”
England Under-18s squad for Six Nations Festival
Ollie Allan (London Irish, Bishop Wand School)
Joe Bailey (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College)
Conor Byrne (Harlequins, Trinity College)
Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers, Leicester Grammar School)
Zach Carr (Harlequins, Dulwich College)
Ethan Clarke (Harlequins, Worthing College)
Luke Coulston (Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth Academy)
Toby Cousins (Northampton Saints, Oakham School)
Connor Cross (London Irish, Hampton School)
Harvey Cuckson (Worcester Warriors, Ellesmere College)
Ben Douglas (Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth Academy)
Will Glister (Wasps, City of Oxford College)
Arthur Green (Bath Rugby, Sherborne School)
Jimmy Halliwell (Bristol Bears, Colston's School)
Ioan Jones (Gloucester Rugby, Dean Close School)
George Loose (Leicester Tigers, Gresham's School)
Morgan Meredith (Leicester Tigers, Brooksby Melton College)
Ben Motamed (Sale Sharks, Manchester Grammar School)
Paddy Pearce (Bristol Bears, Colston's School)
Mike Rewcastle (Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth Academy)
Epi Rokodrava (Wasps, City of Oxford College)
Charlie Smith (Newcastle Falcons, Dame Allans)
Nick Tarr (Northampton Saints, Mark Rutherford School)
Rory Taylor (London Irish, Wellington College)
Tristan Woodman (Sale Sharks, AKS Lytham)
Craig Wright (Northampton Saints, Felsted School)
Game day 1: Saturday 9 April
France v Ireland
Italy v Scotland
Wales v England (KO 14.20)
Game day 2: Wednesday 13 April
France v Wales
Italy v Ireland
Italy v England (KO 16.40)
Game day 3: Sunday 17 April
Ireland v Wales
England v Scotland (KO 13.35)
France v Scotland
