FIRA-AER U18 Championship Update

Tigers prop Neale Farthing was an unused substitute as England retained their FIRA-AER U 18 European Championship in front of 15,000 fans in Grenoble's Stade des Alpes.  Farthing started the first match of the tournament as England routed Portugal 82-8, being replaced after 60 minutes, and came off the bench in England's 25-12 semi final victory over Scotland.

He was joined in France by Welsh wing wizard Rhys Williams.  Left wing Williams was an ever present in the Wales side that finished 5th with big wins against Portugal, 45-0, and Georgia, 50-0, following after a loss to Scotland in the first round ended their hopes of winning the tournament.  Williams grabbed a try in each of the Portugal and Georgia games.

Also on show was Francois Fontaine the young outside back from Clermont who was part of the player exchange programme between the two clubs and came off the bench for the U 18s in their final league match of the season away to Northampton.  Fontaine was another ever present playing every minute of the tournament in Les Bleus 13 shirt as they beat Italy 32-0 in the first round, Ireland 23-18 in the semi finals and as they lost the final 22-27 to England.  Fontaine grabbed two tries in the tournament, one each against Italy and England.

Neale Appeal

Congratulations to Academy prop Neale Farthing who has today been named in England's squad for the FIRA-AER Under 18s European Championship.  England start their campaign on Friday March 22nd against Portugal in the small town of Rumilly, near Annency.  

The tournament is an 8 team knock out format with Georgia and Portugal joining the traditional 6 Nations after winning a qualifying tournament.  Match winners progress towards the trophy whilst the losers play off for the minor places, every nation playing 3 games.  England will face either Wales or Scotland in the second round mid week before the Finals next Saturday at Grenoble's 20,000 capacity Stade des Alps.

England Squad  

Forwards
Andrew Boyce (Worcester Warriors & Kings Worcester)
Andrew Hughes (Sale Sharks & Hartpury College)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby & Bryanston School)
Charlie Hewitt (Exeter Chiefs & Ivybridge College)
Lewis Boyce (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry’s Grammar)
Jack Walker (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry’s Grammar)
James Chisholm (Harlequins & Brighton College)
Jordan Onjoaife (Northampton Saints & Stowe School)
Josh Peters (Northampton Saints & Oundle School)
Matt Bolwell (Exeter Chiefs & Truro College)
Luke Chapman (Exeter Chiefs & Truro College)
Neale Farthing (Leicester Tigers  & Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College)
Paul Hill (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry’s Grammar)
Sam James (Saracens & Bishops Stortford)

Backs
George Perkins (Saracens & Oaklands College)
Howard Packman (Northampton Saints & Moulton College)
James Mitchell (Sale Sharks & Lymm School)
Josh Sharp (Saracens & Oaklands College)
Josh Skelcey (Northampton Saints & Moulton College)
Louis Clayton-Molloy (London Wasps & Harrow School)
Nick Tompkins (Saracens & Oaklands College)
Stuart Townsend (Exeter Chiefs & Ivybridge College)
Tom Fowlie (London Irish & St Pauls Catholic College)
Tom Howe (London Wasps & Shiplake College)
Lucas Slowik (Bristol Rugby & Filton College)
Rory Jennings (Bath Rugby & Bryanston School)

9 Tigers called for National Service

On a busy day for announcements no fewer than 9 Tigers academy players have been called up to represent their country at various levels.  

Harry Wells retains his place for England Under 20s at blindside flanker as they face Italy in Northampton on Friday, Henry Purdy is forced to the bench as Exeter's Jack Nowell returns from Premiership duty, notably outside centre Mark Jennings was the Sale winger beaten for pace by Ed Slater for his try from the halfway line last Saturday.  On the opposing side will be Italian tighthead Tiziano Pasquali.

Scott Steele returns to Scotland Under 20s after missing last year's Junior World Cup with a broken leg, he replaces Sam Hidalgo-Clyne in the 23 who misses out with an ankle injury.

4 Tigers have been selected for England Under 18s after their impressive season in the inaugural Premiership Academies league.  They face Wales in Swansea on Sunday in another warm up for the FIRA-AER Under 18s Championship to be held in France in 2 weeks.  Neale Farthing retains his place on the bench, after being a second half sub last week, where he is joined by scrum half George Tresidder, originally from Derby he missed the early action in the Academy league with an injury but is now back to full fitness.  In the starting line up are versatile outside back Tom Hudson, playing full back after predominantly featuring for Tigers at centre, and openside flanker Will Owen.  Owen bagged a try in each of the last three matches for the U-18s so is in cracking form.

The final player selected is Tigers EPDG player Oliver Fewtrell who has been named in England's Schools and Clubs Under 18s for their match against Bedford Blues Academy Under 19s.  This squad is meant to be selected from players who are not full time rugby players and was the route taken by Henry Purdy last season before he signed with the club full time.


England U20
15 Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby)
14 Ben Howard (Worcester Warriors)
13 Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks)
12 Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
11 Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
10 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
9 Callum Braley (Bristol Rugby)
1 Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton Saints)
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
3 Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)
5 Dominic Barrow (Leeds Carnegie)
6 Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers)
7 David Sisi (London Irish)
8 Jack Clifford (Harlequins) (c)
Replacements
16 Nathan Morris (London Wasps)
17 Alex Lundberg (London Wasps)
18 Danny Herriott (Northampton Saints)
19 Tom Jubb (Saracens)
20 Gus Jones (London Wasps)
21 Alex Day (Northampton Saints)
22 Tom Stephenson (Northampton Saints)
23 Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers)

Italy Under-20s
15 Angelo Esposito (Benetton Treviso)
14 David Michael Odiete (Zebre Rugby)
13 Michele Campagnaro (Benetton Treviso)
12 Giovanni BEnvenuti (Marchiol Mogliano)
11 Filippo Guarducci (Marchiol Mogliano)
10 Edoardo Padovani (Marchiol Mogliano)
9 Simone Marinaro (Fiamme Oro)
1 Luca Scarsini (Cammi Calvisano)
2 Alain Moriconi (UR Capitolina)
3 Tiziano Pasquali (Leicester Tigers)
4 Alessio Zdrilich (Cammi Calvisano)
5 Michele Andreotti (CammI Calvisano)
6 Andrea Trotta (Nuova Rugby Roma)
7 Jacopo Salvetti (Cammi Calvisano) (c)
8 Maxime Mbanda (Rugby Grande Milano) 
Replacements
16 Luca Conti (L'Aquila Rugby)
17 Matteo Zanusso (M-Three San Donà)
18 Simone Ferrari (Crociati Rugby)
19 Vittorio Marazzi (Crociati Rugby)
20 Gianmarco Vian (M-Three San Donà)
21 Marcello Violi (Crociati Rugby)
22 Filippo Buscema (UR Capitolina)
23 Andrea Bettin (Petrarca Padova)

Scotland U20
15 Ruaridh Young (Edinburgh Accies)
14 Damien Hoyland (Boroughmuir)
13 Chris Auld (Gala)
12 Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors)
11 Rory Hughes (Scotland 7s/Stirling County)
10 Tommy Allan (unattached)
9 Ali Price (Bedford Blues)
1 Shawn Muir (Hawick)
2 Russell Anderson (Gala)
3 D'arcy Rae (Ayr)
4 Ruaridh Leishman (Stirling County)
5 Jonny Gray (captain) (Glasgow Warriors/Currie)
6 Alex Henderson (Boroughmuir)
7 Will Bordill (Sale Sharks)
8 Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County)
Replacements:
16 Callum Black (Edinburgh Accies)
17 Jamie Bhatti (Stirling County)
18 Phil Cringle (Edinburgh Rugby/Stewart's-Melville FP)
19 Cameron Turner (Aberdeen Grammar)
20 Tommy Spinks (London Scottish)
21 Scott Steele (Leicester Tigers)
22 Robbie Fergusson (Ayr)
23 Keith Buchan (Boroughmuir)

England Under 18
15 Tom Hudson (Leicester Tigers & Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College)
14 Zach Kibirige (Newcastle Falcons & Yarm School)
13 Nick Carpenter (Bristol Rugby & Filton College)
12 David Buck (Bath Rugby & Sherborne)
11 Nathan Earle (Saracens & Oaklands College)
10 Sam Olver (Northampton Saints & Oundle School)
9 Stuart Townsend (Exeter Chiefs & Ivybridge College)
1 Alex Lundberg (London Wasps & Hampton School)
2 Cameron Neild (Sale Sharks & Manchester Grammar)
3 Paul Hill (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry’s Grammar)
4 Tom Ellis (Bath Rugby & Millfield School)
5 Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby & Bryanston School)
6 Lewis Ludlow  (Gloucester Rugby & Hartpury College)
7 Will Owen (Leicester Tigers & Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College)
8 Hayden Stringer (Saracens & Oaklands College)
Replacement:
16 Tom Woolstencroft (Bath Rugby & Bryanston School)
17 Luke Chapman (Exeter Chiefs & Truro College)
18 Neale Farthing (Leicester Tigers & Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College)
19 Jordan Onjoaife (Northampton Saints & Stowe School)
20 James Chisholm (Harlequins & Brighton College)
21 George Tressider (Leicester Tigers & Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College)
22 Brett Herron (London Irish & Wellington College)
23 Nick Tompkins (Saracens & Oaklands College)
 
England U18 Clubs & Schools squad
Forwards
Thomas Duggan (Blackheath RFC, Dartford Grammar School)
Finlay Hillicks (Harlequins, College of Richard Collyer)
Ollie Hodgson (Middlesbrough, Gosforth Academy, Newcastle Falcons)
Dan Hyam (Mellish RFC, Arnold Hill Academy, Nottingham RFC)
Charlie Kingham (Saracens, Felsted School)
Simon Linsell (Gloucester Rugby, Marling School)
Harry McCartney (London Wasps AASE, The Henley College)
Charlie Piper (Harlequins, Cranleigh School)
Dan Preston-Routledge (Leeds Carnegie, Prince Henry’s Grammar School)
Sam Smith (Worcester Warriors, Old Swinford Hospital)
Alistair Wade (Camberley RFC, Godalming College)
Aston Whitlow (Alnwick RFC, Gosforth Academy, Newcastle Falcons)

Backs  
Sean Brown (Darlington Mowden Park, Newcastle Falcons)
Colin Dickson (Worcester Warriors, Ellesmere College)
Oliver Fewtrell (Derby RFC, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Leicester Tigers EPDG)
Jordan Gott (London Irish, St. Pauls Catholic College)
Lewis Jones (Dunstable RFC, Moulton College, Northampton Saints)
Jack Maplesden (Saracens, Woodhouse Grove)
Aaron Morris (Bedford Blues, Biddenham Upper School)
Tom Morton (Sale Sharks, Stockport Grammar School)
Tom Penny (Alnwick RFC, Newcastle RGS, Newcastle Falcons)
Ben Pointon (Northampton Saints, Rugby School)

1 Tiger Cub in England Under 18s

Tigers stunning form in the inaugural Academy U-18s league has been rewarded with only one player selected for England's Under 18 side to face Scotland and that is only on the bench.

The man selected is Tigers ever present prop Neale Farthing, a product of Market Bosworth's mini and junior programme who went to Lutterworth Grammar School before moving to the Tigers academy and their preferred school QE. 

England face Scotland this Sunday in Darlington.  Unlike the seniors or Under 20s the Under 18s actually play a proper European Championship in a few weeks time so this is a friendly for England to try their options and tune up for their first round game against Portugal in 3 weeks time.

Congratulations Neale!

England
15 Howard Packman (Moulton College & Northampton Saints)
14 Tom Howe (Shiplake College & London Wasps)
13 Nick Tompkins (Oaklands College & Saracens)
12 Brett Herron (Wellington College & London Irish)
11 Tom Fowlie (St Paul’s Catholic College & London Irish)
10 Josh Sharp (Oaklands College & Saracens)
9 Stuart Townsend (Ivybridge Community College & Exeter Chiefs)
1 Luke Chapman (Truro College & Exeter Chiefs)
2 Jack Walker (Prince Henry’s & Leeds Carnegie)
3 Paul Hill (Prince Henry’s Grammar & Leeds Carnegie)
4 Jordan Onojaife (Stowe & Northampton Saints)
5 Charlie Ewels (Bryanston School & Bath Rugby)
6 Andrew Hughes (Hartpury College & Sale Sharks)
7 Andrew Boyce (Kings Worcester &Worcester Warriors)
8 James Chisholm (c) (Brighton College & Harlequins)
Replacements:
16 Sam James (Bishop’s Stortford & Saracens)
17 George Edgson (Hartpury College & London Wasps)
18 Neale Farthing (Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College & Leicester Tigers)
19 Charlie Hewitt (Ivybridge College & Exeter Chiefs)
20 Josh Peters (Oundle School & Northampton Saints)
21 James Mitchell (Lymm School & Sale Sharks)
22 Josh Skelcey (Moulton College & Northampton)
23 Louis Clayton-Molloy (Harrow School & London Wasps)