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Rugby News

Six more Tigers make England age-grade cut

Emeka Ilione is one of six young Tiger cubs named in England's Under-17 development squad.
Emeka Ilione is one of six young Tiger cubs named in England's Under-17 development squad.

Six Leicester Tigers players have been included in England pathway performance coach Jim Mallinder’s Under-17s development squad for a training camp in Newcastle later this month.

Sam Edwards, Rob Hardwick, Emeka Ilione, Kit Smith, Oliver Smith and Archie Vanes will all link up with the England age-grade pathway ahead of the summer tour to South Africa, and will also train against their Scotland counterparts.

The Newcastle camp, on the final weekend of April, will allow Mallinder and consultant coaches Jonathan Fisher, Mark Luffman and Sean Marsden to take a closer look at selected players before naming the group for the August fixtures later this year.

Mallinder said: “We had a training weekend between our north and south U17s groups and from that we have selected a smaller squad for this development camp in Newcastle.

“During the weekend we’ll have a training exercise with Scotland, which will be useful and allows a further chance to look closer at this group.

“Ultimately this will form the basis of the squad we take to South Africa for our summer development tour in August, which marks the start of our U18s international season.

“This camp is really the start of their journey and a chance for us to introduce them to the playing themes in which we want them to explore as they progress through the pathway.”

England Under-17s development squad
Charlie Atkinson Wasps (Abingdon School)
Orlando Bailey Bath Rugby (Beechen Cliff School)
Fin Baxter Harlequins (Wellington College)
Oscar Beard Harlequins (Cranleigh School)
Joe Bedlow Sale Sharks (Myerscough School)
Phil Brantingham Newcastle Falcons (RGS Newcastle)
Finley Brown London Irish (Cranleigh School)
Sam Bryan Saracens (Felsted School)
Alex Cahill Saracens (Dulwich College)
Michael Dykes London Irish (St Pauls College)
Daniel Eckersley Wasps (Bloxham School)
Sam Edwards Leicester Tigers (Brooksby Melton College)
Jack Forsythe Worcester Warriors (Warwick School)
Ethan Grayson Northampton Saints (Northampton School for Boys)
Tarek Haffar London Irish (St Pauls College)
Robin Hardwick Leicester Tigers (Rugby School)
Alex Harmes London Irish (St Pauls College)
Louis Hillman-Cooper Gloucester Rugby (Cheltenham College)
Emeka Ilione Leicester Tigers (Rugby School)
Will Joseph London Irish (Millfield School)
Jon Lilley Worcester Warriors
Oliver Melville Sale Sharks (Sedbergh School)
Ewan Murphy Sale Sharks (Lymm High School)
Ewan Richards Bath Rugby (Millfield School)
Ben Robson Newcastle Falcons (Gosforth Academy)
Kit Smith Leicester Tigers (Oakham School)
Oliver Smith Leicester Tigers (Denstone College)

Ethan Staddon Bath Rugby (Beechen Cliff School)
John Stewart Bath Rugby (Beechen Cliff School)
Harry Taylor Gloucester Rugby (Clifton College)
Freddie Thomas Gloucester Rugby (Dean Close School)
Will Trenholm Harlequins (Cranleigh School)
Archie Vanes Leicester Tigers
Matthew Ward Newcastle Falcons (Gosforth Academy)