England name squad for U20 Championship

Lewis Chessum, brother of England senior international Ollie, is set to captain England under-20 at the World Rugby U20 Championship later this month after the 30-player squad was announced today.

Head coach Mark Mapletoft has named nine uncapped players in a squad that will travel to South Africa in pursuit of a fourth title.

The squad has been announced just days after England lost to Georgia for the first time in Tbilisi, and they will now prepare to take on Six Nations winners Ireland in their opening match of the Championship on June 24, before facing Fiji and Australia in Pool B.

Mapletoft said: “Congratulations to all players selected. The World Rugby U20 Championship is the peak of the age-grade calendar year and for many this will be the highlight of their rugby journeys so far.

“The players have learned a lot as a team and about themselves this year, including during our Six Nations campaign and on our recent tour of Georgia, and we’ll be better as a group for it. This is the first time since 2019 that the World Rugby U20 Championship has been played, so we’re very excited to take this squad to South Africa and test ourselves against the world’s best teams.

“Our squad reflects the diversity and strength of English rugby with every Premiership club represented, and we trust each player to play with pride every time they pull on an England shirt.”

England men’s World Rugby U20 Championship squad

Forwards

Afolabi Fasogbon (London Irish)

Archie McArthur (Gloucester)

Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)

Chandler Cunningham-South (London Irish)

Craig Wright (Northampton Saints)*

Ethan Clarke (Harlequins)*

Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers)

Finn Theobald-Thomas (Gloucester)

Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)

Harry Browne (Harlequins)

Harvey Cuckson (Bath Rugby)*

James Halliwell (Bristol Bears)*

Lewis Chessum (Leicester Tigers)

Nathan Jibulu (Harlequins)

Nathan Michelow (Saracens)*

Tristan Woodman (Sale Sharks)

Zach Carr (Harlequins)*

Backs

Alex Wills (Sale Sharks)*

Cassius Cleaves (Harlequins)

Charlie Bracken (Saracens)

Connor Slevin (Harlequins)*

Jacob Cusick (Leicester Tigers)

Joe Jenkins (Bristol Bears)

Joseph Woodward (Leicester Tigers)

Louie Johnson (Newcastle Falcons)

Nye Thomas (Sale Sharks)

Rekeiti Ma'asi-White (Sale Sharks)

Sam Harris (Bath Rugby)

Tobias Elliott (Saracens)

Toby Thame (Northampton Saints)*

*Uncapped England U20 (note: matches during the recent tour of Georgia were friendlies and therefore not capped)