U20 Six Nations: England names squad to face Ireland

England men’s U20 head coach Alan Dickens has named his side to play Ireland on Thursday in the third round of the U20 Six Nations (KO 8pm BST LIVE on EnglandRugby.com, England Rugby Facebook, Six Nations Rugby YouTube channel and S4C Clic).

 
There are four changes to the starting line-up from England’s bonus point, 31-12 win against Scotland last week.

 
Charlie Atkinson (full back), Tom Litchfield (wing), Arthur Clark (second row) and Nahum Merigan (number 8) all make their first starts of this year’s competition.

 
There are also two positional changes, with Ewan Richards moving to blind-side flanker and Jack Clement completing the back row at openside. Jack van Poortvliet continues to captain the side from scrum half.

 
There are six changes among the replacements with Archie Vanes and Freddie Thomas returning to the match day squad and Orlando Bailey featuring after having started the first two matches.

 
Ollie Stonham could potentially make his U20 Six Nations debut on Thursday, while Tom Roebuck and Josh Gray are in line for their first Six Nations appearances during the 2021 campaign having both won caps in last year’s competition.

England U20 starting XV  

15 Charlie Atkinson (Wasps)
14 Tom Litchfield (Northampton Saints)
13 Jack Bates (Bristol Bears)
12 Dan Lancaster (Leeds Tykes)
11 Arthur Relton (Exeter Chiefs)
10 Fin Smith (Worcester Warriors)
9 Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers) Captain
1 Phil Brantingham (Newcastle Falcons)
2 Sam Riley (Harlequins)
3 Harvey Kindell-Beaton (Saracens)
4 Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby)
5 Alex Groves (Bristol Bears)
6 Ewan Richards (Bath Rugby)
7 Jack Clement (Gloucester Rugby)
8 Nahum Merigan (Bath Rugby)
 
Replacements
16 Archie Vanes (Leicester Tigers)
17 Tarek Haffar (London Irish)
18 Luke Green (London Irish)
19 Freddie Thomas (Gloucester Rugby)
20 Ollie Stonham (Saracens)
21 Josh Gray (Gloucester Rugby)
22 Tom Carr-Smith (Bath Rugby)
23 Tommy Mathews (Hartpury University RFC)
24 Phil Cokanasiga (London Irish)
25 Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)
26 Orlando Bailey (Bath Rugby)

 
England men’s U20 Six Nations results and fixtures (all at Cardiff Arms Park)

ENGLAND (3) 38
Tries: Brooke, Riley 2, O. Bailey, Relton Cons: Smith 5 Pens: Smith 
FRANCE (19) 22
Tries: Eppe 3 Cons: Debaes 2 Pens: Debaes 
 
ENGLAND (19) 31
Tries: Van Poortvliet, Smith, D. Bailey, Riley, Relton Cons: Smith 3 
SCOTLAND (5) 12
Tries: Townsend, Leatherbarrow Con: Scott