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'Fearless, brave': From National One to a first England U20s start

England U20s line up head of their round four game versus Ireland (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

England age-grade boss Mark Mapletoft has saluted the recent rapid rise of George Makepeace-Cubitt in going from National League One full-back to starting for his country’s U20s at No10 in Friday night’s Six Nations title fight in France.

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It was ahead of the round two match at home to Wales in Bath when Makepeace-Cubitt came in from the cold of English third-tier rugby to link up with an international squad made up of only Gallagher Premiership youngsters and the Racing 92-attached Junior Kpoku.

He wasn’t at all overawed by the experience and his three appearances off the bench have now paved the way for his final-round selection as the starting out-half this weekend in Pau, a match that England head into sitting on top of the table one point ahead of Ireland who host Scotland in Cork.

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Joel Kpoku on life in the very physical French Top 14

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    Joel Kpoku on life in the very physical French Top 14

    Mapletoft quipped last month that he didn’t know Makepeace-Cubitt until he turned up in England camp to play in the championship after a few early injuries were sustained.

    However, he has now admitted that this was a cheeky description, that he did know of the youngster who was part of the London Irish set-up that folded last year with the club’s unfortunate financial demise.

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    Makepeace-Cubitt has since gone back to his minis club Rams, turning out for them in National One, and Mapletoft described the youngster’s selection to start for England U20s in a title decider as an excellent example of someone who continued to believe in himself away from the age-grade pathway despite a succession of setbacks.

    “I was a bit tongue in cheek when I said I never heard of him, I clearly had heard of him having worked in the U18s,” explained Mapletoft to RugbyPass. “He and I have had a laugh about this throughout the time he has been in. I first watched him play for London Irish in an academy match U18s against Gloucester.

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    “He played so well; we used to do across-the-round player of the week which he won back in December 2021 or January 2022. I have known about George for a while. He has had an incredible mixed bag of fortune in the intervening period.

    “He was contracted by Irish. He went on loan playing in National League (Two East with Barnes). The Irish story has been well advertised. He has gone back to his junior club Rams. He has had a shoulder injury. He has got back to playing pre-Christmas. He has had a concussion.

    “He has finally strung some games together for Rams, who are going well in National One, and is probably playing at a similar level to a lot of the (England U20s) backs – and I just thought he deserved a chance.

    “Alan (Dickens) had him in the U19s at the back end of last year. He has not never played for England before. We know a lot about him but really we kind of felt he had been lost to the game potentially, but he has shown incredible resilience to get back to where he was.

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    “He actually said to me he was genuinely hoping he would get the call at some point if he got back playing to the level he felt he could.

    “Just credit to him: he has come in, has been fearless, has been brave, has slotted well in. He did a brilliant presentation to the lads on attack yesterday [Tuesday] which I have seen senior pros struggle with. Listen, I can’t give him enough credit.

    “Hopefully the message is the pathway is what it is. People automatically assume that because you are not contracted to a club or that opportunity passes you by, then that is your time gone and it’s far from it.

    “We have had Max Blinkhorn called in this year from Nottingham Uni, who unfortunately didn’t pick up a club when Wasps went under.

    “With only 10 Premiership clubs now and less opportunity potentially, not everybody is going to get that contract at 18, and it [these stories] is a really good advert for just not giving up and showing that resilience and mental fortitude to stay with it and, if you believe in yourself, who knows what can happen.”

    The promotion of Makepeace-Cubitt into the England U20s starting team at the expense of the benched Josh Bellamy is one of four changes made by Mapletoft to face the French following last Friday’s dramatic 32-all draw with Ireland at The Rec.

    The other backline change sees the return of Ioan Jones at full-back with Ben Redshaw switching to the left wing and Alex Wills missing out. Another first-time starter is James Isaacs, who is chosen as hooker with Jacob Oliver moving to the bench.

    He is joined there among the replacements by Olamide Sodeke, who has given up his starting pace at lock to Joe Bailey. Regarding the benching of Sodeke, Mapletoft explained: “We have mixed and matched a little bit where we have had to and at the same time we have often been forced into a lot of changes due to injury and illness. There is a lot of illness going around.

    “Talking to (Ireland coach) Richie Murphy before the game last week, their lads there has been a lot of virus going around their group as well. Our job really – and I have been at pains to stress this – is yes, we have got a chance to win the Six Nations but ultimately this is a development programme and we want to put ourselves in the best possible position to help these lads in their development.

    “This week Joe and Junior (Kpoku) get the opportunity to go in the second row together and I have no doubt Olamide will make a huge impact off the bench.

    “It’s great learning for the lads to play tournament rugby because the same thing will happen in the World Cup – you can’t field the same team in all five rounds otherwise you’d probably be playing with six players at the end of it.

    “There is a little preparation around that and combinations and players that we feel we want to start the game with and players we want to finish the game with. We know to get a positive outcome from the game we need to be competitive through the 80 minutes so we need to make sure we are.”

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    PL 2 hours ago
    Lions Tour Aussie takes: Bigger is better, the stars who failed to fire

    I find it interesting that journalists who have done nothing in rugby comment on selections & coaching like they are experts

    Concussive injury’s will remove insurance cover from the game unless their is strict application of the laws designed to remove MND Parkinson’s and CTE from the game


    Head on head I saw red to Adam Coleman as tackler for Irish while unconscious on a stretcher - concussions occur without twitching on the ground or the wobbly boot - I know I had maybe 20 from rugby


    The officiating of last feet is non existent

    The lack of effective wrap by Lions front rower & that decision had a close relationship with ordure in a toilet

    A head on head tackle red for Coleman not even penalty lead to a try in a phase or 2


    Powys v Evans lead to a £> 2 mill verdict against the ref personally special leveraged to Hiuse of Lords

    Refs will stop reffing with no insurance then no game


    About 5 years ago 4 or 5 French colts died from head hits in elite club games - that led to below sternum law - hamlets honoured in breach not observance

    Last feet non existent - enforcement favour flowing rugby nor lions meat grinder forwards get momentum and puck & drive NZ Vowel noise


    The UK Class Action could be very well be lost WRC will try every dirty trick in case they already used dial a neuros to argue the unarguable is law gossip


    I reffed ref coached & assessed for ruffly 17 seasons


    The application of laws is like a zig zag on speed

    Line out laws not enforced scrums tight pulling loose down one side mirror on other side elbow pointing to ground stretch marks on jersey

    Der moment the refs need to go Soec Savers

    My bet unless they stop lack of intestinal fortitude game management


    Yellow every time head contact or above sternum


    Needs sterner GMGs material impact removed set piece caterpillar remove

    Last feet to last feet + 1 m


    When I reffed I kept them well apart - hated me till they got over yellow and they actually had fun & complemented me post game backs had room and pick and drive had momentum


    As for intentional foul play like tackle in air auto red no replacement 100,000 fine player 250,000 club


    Treble it for international 26 week suspension & it’s disappear over night

    25 were scrum for dissent


    Penalty all this rubbish shots at opponents after error


    All the s.ite would disappear


    The pathetic unsportsmanlike behaviour would lead to standards


    Remember Les Boyd’s penalty re Brohman -if that is the way we treat foul play but while foul play with potential serious injury with a feather duster like we are the game is destined to no insurance following that no refs cause would you risk bankruptcy like Powys v Evans

    1 Go to comments
    S
    Soliloquin 3 hours ago
    Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

    For Fischer, many people in France are still doubting him - it’s the first time he has a full season (31 games). Before, he was always injured at some point. He’s 27, so not the youngest, and you have a younger Boudehent or Jégou behind.

    His physicality is incredible, but he didn’t prove he’s got hands. He just proved he was able to defend like a beast.

    But you know, even Cros has improved his handling skills lately, so it’s never too late!

    And he will play the Champions Cup with a solid Bayonne side, so let’s see!


    I don’t agree with ‘only Fischer’: Brennan proved he’s a great 4/7 utility player, and Galthié likes those very much (Woki or Flament). He’s 23, playing for Toulouse with high concurrence, so the prospect is good. I rate him higher than Auradou, who had a few games in the 6 Nations.

    For Depoortère, he had a more silent season than the previous one - injured at the worst moment during the Autumn Tests series - but came back strong with a Champions Cup and a solid partnership with Moefana. What could save him would be to start playing as a 12 when Moefana isn’t there, bulking up and become the new Jauzion.

    But he’s 22 and an incredible talent at 13. His height makes me think he had more potential than your fan favorite Costes or the utility player that is Gailleton.


    As for Montagne or Mallez, with the lack of quality in props, they could find a spot!

    Especially Mallez who’s got a good spot to get behind Baille at Toulouse. Neti isn’t the youngest and hasn’t an international level.


    And again, as Ugo Mola said, you never play with your best team.

    So 30-32 player is more of a 38-40, so you need back-ups.

    France knows very well how useful they can be during RWCs.

    237 Go to comments
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