The Under-18 teams from France and England will square off at Cork Institute of Technology on Saturday (kick-off 2.30pm) in a game that it is expected to produce some high quality rugby.
France are looking to bounce back from their 10-8 loss at the hands of Scotland on the opening day at the same venue, while England are hoping to secure a second Festival win after they convincingly beat Italy 78-8 in their first outing.
The French team announcement has been delayed as management wait on news of two injured players. Prop David Tarroque and centre Adrien Domec are both being assessed and management have held off naming a starting line-up until later tonight.
Tarroque needed three stitches over his eye after the game against Scotland and he also suffered a sprained ankle and Domec twisted his knee in the same game.
England have named their team however and coach Alex Sanderson has made a number of changes, including the selection of an all new front row and half-back combination.
There are also call-ups for centre Andy Forsyth of QEGS Wakefield and Leicester Tigers, winger Will Hurrell of Wyggeston & QE College and Leicester Tigers and full-back Tom Catterick of Barnard Castle School and Newcastle Falcons. Sedbergh and Sale Sharks centre Tom Casson has again been named captain.
Sanderson said: “We have made several changes to the starting line-up. This is because we have to start every player in this tournament and also because of the very short time in between games, we have to keep all the players fresh and sharp.
“This is also a different game, a different opponent so some of the changes made are strategic as well. France will be tough opponents for us.”
ENGLAND UNDER-18 TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v France U-18, 2008 U-18 Six Nations Festival, Saturday, March 29, Cork Institute of technology, kick-off 2.30pm):
15 – Tom Catterick (Barnard Castle & Newcastle Falcons)
14 – Will Hurrell (Wyggeston & QE1 Coll Leicester Tigers)
13 – Andy Forsyth (QEGS Wakefield & Leicester Tigers)
12 – Tom Casson (Sedbergh & Sale Sharks) (capt)
11 – Sam Smith ( Cranleigh & Harlequins)
10 – Rory Clegg (Barnard Castle & Newcastle Falcons)
9 – Jordi Pasqualin (The King’s School Gloucs & Gloucester Rugby)
1 – Joe Marler (Richmond College & Harlequins)
2 – Jamie George (Haileybury & Saracens)
3 – Mako Vunipola (Millfield & Bristol Rugby)
4 – Tom Holmes (Sandbach & Sale Sharks)
5 – James Gaskell (Sandbach & Sale Sharks)
6 – Rob Milligan (Rugby School & Northampton Saints)
7 – Jacob Rowan (Bradford GS & Leeds Carnegie)
8 – Alex Gray (Barnard Castle & Newcastle Falcons)
Replacements:
16 – Lee Imiolek (Myerscough College & Sale Sharks)
17 – David Blackwell (Hartpury College & Gloucester Rugby)
18 – James Currie (Millfield & Bath Rugby)
19 – Joe Quinn (St Wilfred’s School & Leeds Carnegie)
20 – Joe Trayfoot (Epsom College & Harlequins)
21 – Joe Barker (QEGS Wakefield & Leeds Carnegie)
22 – Sam Harrison (John Cleveland College & Leicester Tigers)
23 – Freddie Burns (Bath College & Bath Rugby)
24 – Tom Homer (Milton Abbey & London Irish)
25 – Christian Wade (RGS High Wycombe & London Wasps)
26 – Jack Wallace (RGS High Wycombe & London Wasps)
FRANCE U-18 Squad (v England U-18):
David Tarroque, Baptiste Gay, Adrien Alazard, Teddy Iribaren, (all Toulouse), Anthony Maury (Montferrand), Mickael Ivaldi, Sonny Falconetti (both Toulon), Kevin Legeun, Adrein Gach, Amaury Geneste (all Begles), Paul Oliver (Beziers), Victor Muret, Julien Petrod (both Bourgoin), Sullivan Guyon (Orleans), Joris Archimbeau (Montpellier), Florent Brunet, Gilles Arnaudies, Joran Salgues (all Perpignan), Antoine Erbano (Agen), Julien Cabannes (Mont de Marsan), Clement Baldy (La Reunion), Raphael Eymond, Lucas DuPoint (Grenoble), Adrien Domec (Biarritz), Camille Canivet (La Rochelle), Valentin Tourenne (Brive).
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