ENGLAND RUGBY U20s Bath's Cuckson World Cup debut

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Created on Saturday, 24 June 2023 00:43

Last Updated on Saturday, 24 June 2023 08:21

Published on Saturday, 24 June 2023 00:43

Written by CONNOR McGOVERNE

England men’s U20s head coach Mark Mapletoft has named his side to face Ireland in today's World Rugby U20 Championship campaign opener in South Africa (KO 13:30 local time, 12:30pm BST) at Paarl Gymnasium outside Cape Town.

Leicester Tigers lock Lewis Chessum captains the side which features four players who will earn their first England U20s caps.

Bath's Harvey Cuckson is set to earn his first England U20 cap when he joins the skipper in the second row.

The backrow sees Finn Carnduff (blind-side flanker), Devon's Greg Fisilau (open-side flanker) and Chandler Cunningham-South (no. 8) combine.

Bath's Sam Harris lines up at fullback.

The match against Ireland is the first of England’s three pool matches.

Mapletoft said: “Firstly, congratulations to all players selected to represent their country in our first game of the World Rugby U20 Championship. For many players this tournament will be the highlight of their rugby journeys so far, providing the opportunity for them to develop in an environment that emulates the challenges that hopefully awaits in the senior international arena in future years.

“We’ve had a good week of preparation since landing in Cape Town last week and the players are ready for the challenge Ireland presents. They were the dominant team in this year’s U20 Six Nations tournament, and we’re relishing the chance to take them head on to open our campaign.”

England U20 team v Ireland U20

1. Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)

2. Finn Theobald-Thomas (Gloucester)

3. Afolabi Fasogbon

4. Harvey Cuckson* (Bath Rugby)

5. Lewis Chessum (Captain, Leicester Tigers)

6. Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers)

7. Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)

8. Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)

9. Charlie Bracken (Saracens)

10. Connor Slevin* (Harlequins)

11. Joe Jenkins (Bristol Bears)

12. Joseph Woodward (Leicester Tigers)

13. Rekeiti Ma'asi-White (Sale Sharks)

14. Tobias Elliott (Harlequins)

15. Sam Harris (Bath Rugby)

Replacements

16. Nathan Jibulu (Harlequins)

17. Archie McArthur (Gloucester)

18. James Halliwell* (Bristol Bears)

19. Nathan Michelow* (Saracens)

20. Tristan Woodman (Sale Sharks)

21. Nye Thomas (Sale Sharks)

22. Louie Johnson (Newcastle Falcons)

23. Jacob Cusick (Leicester Tigers)

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