England A wider squad announced ahead of Australia A fixture
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A 24-player England A squad has been named ahead of the visit of Australia A to the Twickenham Stoop on Sunday 17 November (14:00 GMT kick-off).
The squad includes seven previously capped senior men’s internationals including Joe Heyes, Curtis Langdon, Tom Pearson, Ted Hill, Tom Roebuck and Tom Willis, while Fraser Dingwall captains the side.
A number of World Rugby U20 Championship winners such as Afolabi Fasogbon, Henry Pollock and Vilikesa Sela, as well as 2024 U20 Six Nations winner Archie McParland, have been selected. 23 of the selected 24 players have been previously capped at age-grade level in the England Rugby Men’s Pathway.
The selection of the wider squad and match day 23 is a cooperative approach made in consultation with head coach Mark Mapletoft and determined by senior men’s head coach, Steve Borthwick, and RFU Executive Director of Performance Rugby, Conor O’Shea.
Mapletoft takes the reins of the A programme for November alongside U20 Men assistant coach Andy Titterrell and scrum coach Nathan Catt after a successful 2024 campaign.
Lee Blackett of Bath Rugby and Exeter Chiefs’ Haydn Thomas join the staff as attack and defence coach, respectively, with Thomas also involved in the U20’s success as defensive coordinator.
The squad will assemble at the Hazelwood Centre on Tuesday 12 November to begin preparations for the fixture later that week, where they will be joined by selected players presently training with the senior squad.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) can also confirm that Premier Sports 1 will broadcast the fixture. Visit www.premier sports.tv to sign-up.
Mark Mapletoft said: “The coaching staff and I are incredibly excited to reveal this squad after extensive collaborative work and are looking forward to working with some familiar and new faces alike.
“Next week presents a platform for a selection of some of the best Premiership talent to express themselves further whilst representing their country, some of those being U20 players me and the pathway staff have worked with very recently. It bridges from the pathway and into senior contention through vital gametime in an England jersey.
“An England A match week is a short turnaround; the key for us is to instill a chemistry through extensive preparation, knowledge sharing and a diligent team culture ahead of a very competitive opportunity in front of an energetic home support.”
Tickets start from only £25 for adults & £15 for kids (U16)* for England A's meeting against Australia A. Click here to secure your place at the Twickenham Stoop.
