[M_W]

Looks like initial training squads are being held. Following involvement for us:

In the under-20s national set-up, Afolabi Fasogbon (prop), Calum Scott (hooker), Ollie Allan (scrum-half) and Monty Bradbury (fly-half) all received their first inclusion in the age-grade to link up with Alan Dickens’ squad.

They will accompany second-year player Chandler Cunningham-South (back-row) to training midweek next week at Bisham Abbey ahead of the 2023 Under-20 Six Nations in February of next year.

Bradbury, CCS and Scott will just be eligible this coming season. Fasogbon and Allan will be eligible for the 2024 season as well.

[Stevie J]

Bradbury is, maybe for obvious reasons the one I’m most interested. We haven’t developed a young 10 in forever.

Geraghty, technically, though he was more a 12?

[M_W]

TBC I guess was the big hope. He was getting prem game time when he was younger than Bradbury (albeit we were desperate that season!). Never quite worked out, and ended up looking like he'd have been a better 12 if not for injuries/early retirement.

Bradbury does look decent whenever I've seen him and it will be interesting to see how he gets on with the U20s. Might end up being a good fit for us with his passing game. Hopefully either him or Taylor, a few years below makes a proper breakthrough.

[M_W]

U20s EPS announced for the season. Scott, Fasogbon and CCS involved. Bradbury misses out in the end, but will hopefully get a chance from outside the squad at some point. Fasogbon has done well to get in given his age, so will be interesting to see how he gets on.

Forwards
Archie McArthur (Gloucester)
George Patten (Northampton Saints)
Calum Scott (London Irish)
Finn Theobald-Thomas (Gloucester)
Nathan Jibulu (Harlequins)
Afolabi Fasogbon (London Irish)
James Halliwell (Bristol Bears)
Tim Hoyt (Leicester Tigers)
Harry Browne (Harlequins)
Lewis Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Danny Eite (Gloucester)
Robert Carmichael (Leicester Tigers)
Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers)
Joshua Manz (Leicester Tigers)
Guy Pepper (Newcastle Falcons)
Josh Dingley (Bath Rugby)
Chandler Cunningham-South (London Irish)
Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)

Backs
Charlie Bracken (Saracens)
Nye Thomas (Sale Sharks)
Sam Harris (Bath Rugby)
Sam Worsley (Bristol Bears)
Cassius Cleaves (Harlequins)
Joseph Woodward (Leicester Tigers)
Rekeiti Ma'asi-White (Sale Sharks)
Benjamin Waghorn (Harlequins)
Jacob Cusick (Leicester Tigers)
Joe Jenkins (Bristol Bears)
Josh Hathaway (Gloucester)
Tobias Elliott (Saracens)
Connor Slevin (Harlequins)
Louie Johnson (Newcastle Falcons)

[M_W]

Walsh and Bradbury also involved in a warm up fixture against Oxford Uni at the weekend, with Walsh getting on the end of this try.

Edit - for some reason that won't play in the post for me, just takes you to ticketing. But if you open the tweet it should work.

[Stevie J]

England U20 team for Scotland this Friday - https://www.englandrugby.com/news/artic ... e-scotland

1. Archie McArthur
2. Finn Theobald-Thomas
3. Tim Hoyt
4. Danny Eite
5. Lewis Chessum
6. Finn Carnduff
7. Greg Fisilau
8. Chandler Cunningham-South
9. Charlie Bracken
10. Monty Bradbury
11. Josh Hathaway
12. Joseph Woodward
13. Rekeiti Ma'asi-White
14. Tobias Elliott
15. Sam Harris

Replacements

16. Calum Scott
17. Asher Opoku-Fordjour
18. Afolabi Fasogbon
19. Robert Carmichael
20. Tristan Woodman
21. Nye Thomas
22. Louie Johnson
23. Toby Cousins

[M_W]

Scott as well.

Nice to see Bradbury force his way into the lineup past Johnson, despite not being in the original EPS

[Stevie J]

Should also note here for those wanting to see how our four get on, the match is live on BBC iPlayer, 7pm kick-off this Friday night.

[Lazyboy346]

Good showing for the Irish lads in a tight result. CCS managed a try somehow and controlled the ball well at scrums, although he didn't get as many chances to carry as he might have (but good ruck speed). Bradbury controlled the attack well with good passes (especially mispasses and long passes) and crossfield kicks.

Scott was good at the lineout and nearly set up a try with a great pass, and he and Fasogbon were part of a strong replacement second row.

Presumably we'll want CCS back next week unless Sooty is back from injury, but can see the others starting.

[M_W]

Bradbury misplaced a few kicks, but mixed in some lovely stuff too.

Really enjoyed his cross kick for the try (second time lucky) and this pass

[Stevie J]

Good news, all four boys have kept their places: https://www.london-irish.com/news/four- ... ly/bp4023/

Another 7pm kick-off this Friday, so clashes with the Saints cup match for those going. England men's under-20 team v Italy:

1 Archie McArthur (Gloucester)
2 Finn Theobald-Thomas (Gloucester)
3 Tim Hoyt (Leicester Tigers)
4 Danny Eite (Gloucester)
5 Lewis Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
6 Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers)
7 Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)
8 Chandler Cunningham-South (London Irish)
9 Charlie Bracken (Saracens)
10 Monty Bradbury (London Irish)
11 Josh Hathaway (Gloucester)
12 Joseph Woodward (Leicester Tigers)
13 Rekeiti Ma'asi-White (Sale Sharks)
14 Tobias Elliott (Saracens)
15 Sam Harris (Bath Rugby)

Replacements:
16 Calum Scott (London Irish)
17 Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)
18 Afolabi Fasogbon (London Irish)
19 Robert Carmichael (Leicester Tigers)
20 Tristan Woodman (Sale Sharks)
21 Nye Thomas (Sale Sharks)
22 Louie Johnson (Newcastle Falcons)
23 Benjamin Waghorn (Harlequins)

[Florida]

Couple of tries for our boys

[M_W]

Fasogbon with a comically good 30 seconds at the end.

Drives their scrum back at a rate of knots. Wins a turnover. Taps the pen and runs it in from the 22.

Sadly they left the scrum out of this clip

[Lazyboy346]

Absolutely shocking decision from the front row union to select him as a prop when we've produced yet another quality back three player!

Joking aside, that's an excellent bit of play and very quick witted to take it as nobody was paying attention and if they had been they'd not have expected the prop to be the one to take the quick tap. Look forward to seeing more of him in green in future.

[Steely Dander]

Fantastic quick wittedness from the young lad, and then the power and skill to skip over.

We are seeing some real rugby ‘smarts’ from our youngsters.

[Florida]

Did I hear the commentators say he's 132kg?

[Stevie J]

Three boys retained but no CCS - meaning unless he picked up a knock he's playing versus Tigers:

England Under-20s team v Wales U20s (Friday, 7.15pm, Colwyn Bay, live on BBC iPlayer)

15 Sam Harris (Bath Rugby)
14 Tobias Elliott (Saracens)
13 Rekeiti Ma'asi-White (Sale Sharks)
12 Joseph Woodward (Leicester Tigers)
11 Josh Hathaway (Gloucester)
10 Monty Bradbury (London Irish)
9 Charlie Bracken (Saracens)

1 Archie McArthur (Gloucester)
2 Finn Theobald-Thomas (Gloucester)
3 Tim Hoyt (Leicester Tigers)
4 Danny Eite (Gloucester)
5 Lewis Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
6 Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers)
7 Tristan Woodman (Sale Sharks)
8 Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)

Replacements
16 Calum Scott (London Irish)
17 Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)
18 Afolabi Fasogbon (London Irish)
19 Robert Carmichael (Leicester Tigers)
20 Joshua Manz (Leicester Tigers)
21 Nye Thomas (Sale Sharks)
22 Louie Johnson (Newcastle Falcons)
23 Benjamin Waghorn (Harlequins)

[M_W]

Really nice game from Bradbury tonight. Really dictated a lot of the game from ten and got the backline moving with his distribution.

He's got such a nice pass of both hands.

[Stevie J]

Telegraph piece on the England U20s with Fasogban mentioned in dispatches: https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fw ... -inside%2F

[M_W]

Fasogbon, Cross and Makepeace-Cubitt all involved for England U19s this weekend against Wales.

Latter is an interesting one. Thought he looked handy the few times I saw him at U18s for us last season. Then actually missed out on a Senior Academy contract initially, before coming through later through the senior academy trial system. Clearly been progressing well though on loan at Barnes to get noticed by the national pathway selectors.

[Narbia]

Senior Academy talents Afolabi Fasogbon and Chandler Cunningham-South have been selected as replacements in Mark Mapletoft’s first England under-20s matchday squad.

The two Exiles are set to face Georgia under-20 in the first of its two-match tour on Saturday, 27th May at Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi, kicking-off at 4pm BST.

The match will be streamed live on the Georgian Rugby Facebook page.

LI linky

[GHA]

England won 41 - 36 with two tries in the last six minutes. Not sure how our lads got on

[M_W]

England won 41 - 36 with two tries in the last six minutes. Not sure how our lads got on

Fasogbon and the reserve LH came on and demolished the Georgian reserve front row.

Otherwise neither got much opportunity to anything spectacular in the closing stages.

Game was actually streamed. Privacy setting wont let me post here, but full game is on the Georgian rugby Facebook page

[GHA]

[GHA]

Georgia 40-38 England FT