Leicester Tigers prop Joe Heyes has been named in the England Under-18 squad for a three-match tour of South Africa in August.
England face South Africa Schools in their opening fixture in Cape Town on August 11 and Wales four days later before finishing their campaign against France in Stellenbosch.
Heyes gained his first call-up to the squad in 2016/17 while playing for Tigers in the National Academies League.
England include forwards Ted Hill, Sam Moore and Tom Willis who all featured in last year’s tour to South Africa, while Hill and fly-half Marcus Smith both gained England Under-20 caps during this year’s Six Nations.
Coached by John Fletcher, Russell Earnshaw, Mark Luffman and Peter Walton, England Under-18s have enjoyed an impressive season so far, winning all of their games in April’s International Series in Wales.
Head coach Fletcher said: “The tour is a fantastic opportunity to play in the southern hemisphere in a challenging environment. I want to see us improve in each game.
“We’ve chosen a strong, talented group and we will only focus on the skills and principles we think are important for this age group within our pathway. We’re really looking forward to spending time with the players.”
The tour plays a pivotal role in their development through the national age grade programme with three players – Joe Cokanasiga, Ben Curry and Tom Curry – from last year’s group named in the England senior squad for the series against Argentina this summer. Also, 11 of last year’s squad progressed to the 2017 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Georgia where England reached the final.
England Under-18 squad:
Forwards:
Josh Basham (London Irish, Wellington College)
Will Capon (Bristol Rugby, Bristol Grammar School)
Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs, Exeter College)
Beck Cutting (Worcester Warriors, Bromsgrove School)
James Dun (Bristol Rugby, Millfield School)
George Head (Harlequins, Tonbridge School)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, Wyggeston & QEI College)
Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors, Worcester College)
Aaron Hinkley (Gloucester Rugby, St Peter’s High School)
Sam Moore (Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School)
Nick Rigby (Worcester Warriors, Warwick School)
James Scott (Worcester Warriors, Malvern College)
Kieran Verden (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff School)
Tom Willis (Wasps, The Henley College)
Backs
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, Bedford School)
Ollie Fox (Yorkshire Carnegie , New College Pontefract)
Tom de Glanville (Bath Rugby, Beechen Cliff School)
Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish, St Paul’s School)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins, Bishop Wordsworth's School)
Will Porter (Wasps, Merchant Taylors' School)
Cameron Redpath (Sale Sharks, Sedbergh School)
Arron Reed (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School)
Tom Seabrook (Gloucester Rugby, Dean Close School)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, Brighton College)
Sam Spink (Wasps, Wellington College)
Kieran Wilkinson (Sale Sharks, Kirkham Grammar School).
