The Sale Sharks Academy makes up almost one fifth of England’s U20 Men’s ‘Elite Player Squad’ (EPS) for the 2024/25 season after nine of the club’s brightest stars were named by head coach Mark Mapletoft.
Hooker Alfie Longstaff; props Jack Lightbrown, Ralph McEachran, and Tye Raymont; lock Tom Burrows, flanker Seb Kelly, scrum-half Dom Hanson, fly-half Ollie Davies and centre Toby Wilson have all been called up.
The largely refreshed cohort also includes 12 previously-capped U20 internationals that achieved the ‘double’ silverware in the respective continental and intercontinental championships. Benjamin Coen and Kane James of Exeter Chiefs, Newcastle Falcons’ Jacob Oliver and Ben Redshaw, Archie McParland and Henry Pollock (both Northampton Saints), Saracens trio Olamide Sodeke, Jack Bracken and Angus Hall, Billy Sela (Bath Rugby), and Josh Bellamy and Lucas Friday of Harlequins all rejoin the team this term.
Mapletoft’s fresh intake includes a further 32 squad members boasting previous pathway caps who have now graduated into the U20 programme, including recent U18 Men’s captain and Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League winner, Connor Treacey. Six new players are welcomed into the England Rugby Men’s Pathway as previously uncapped age-grade players.
Friendly fixtures in preparation for England’s Six Nations title defence will be communicated in due course.
Mark Mapletoft said: “I’d like to congratulate all members of our EPS on their inclusion in this season’s group. As this year has shown, it’s an incredibly exciting time to be an England Rugby fan and these players are already intent on making the U20 shirts theirs.
“The ability to select more players this year not only shines a light on the breadth of talent that is being produced in this country, but it also ensures these young men receive the best possible experiences and learnings to progress as rugby players and as people.
“Our determination to constantly evolve and front up was testament to the character fostered by last year’s group. Whilst their cycle concludes, the key principles we implement throughout our pathway are a continuous process and I have every confidence this squad can replicate the successes of their predecessors.”
