England A have confirmed their coaching staff for their clash against Portugal at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Sunday, February 25.

Former Tiger Sam Vesty is among the cohort and will lead the A side’s attack.

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The reintroduction of the England A side will provide more game time for players transitioning from the pathway at Under-20 level to the senior team and increase their on-field maturation and development. 

As part of the ongoing discussions regarding the Professional Game Partnership (PGP), the RFU and Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) want to ensure younger players have more game time in order to continue their playing development.

A coaching team involving personnel from across the Gallagher Premiership and England Rugby will be chosen in consultation alongside PRL, with the selection of the matchday 23 determined by senior men’s head coach, Steve Borthwick.

Whilst the friendly is set to take place on the weekend of Round 3 in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations, the encounter against Sébastien Bertrank’s men will also give those in the senior men’s wider squad valuable minutes outside of the tournament to maintain fitness throughout the campaign.

Portugal’s recent outing at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France captured the imagination of spectators globally, as Os Lobos claimed their first-ever tournament point in a tie against Georgia before securing a famous 24-23 win over Fiji.