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)

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)