England U20 Men's team to face Italy

31 Jan 2024 | 4 min |

England U20 Men's team to face Italy

Mark Mapletoft has named his match day squad for the U20 Men's Six Nations opener against Italy in Treviso

When?	Friday 2 February
Where?	Stadio Comunale di Monigo
Kick off	19:15 GMT
Where can I watch?	BBC Sport website and app

Finn Carnduff will lead out the team after being named the U20 team captain for the tournament.

Head coach Mark Mapletoft said: “It’s great to be back in a game week with the boys, the team are incredibly excited for Friday’s test against a very challenging Italian side.

“I’d like to congratulate Finn on his captaincy, it’s imperative we have players that can lead by their actions on the pitch and we’re lucky to have such a tight-knit group of players to represent us.

“Over the past week, we’ve challenged the team to push themselves in a highly competitive environment as well as seeking to emulate our core principles of speed, attachment and space.

“Andy, the coaches and I have welcomed the intensity that the boys have channelled their rugby through in Bisham recently, and that excites us ahead of a tournament we want to start strongly in this week.”

Carnduff is accompanied by six other capped U20 players in the matchday XV, with further experience coming from the bench in the form of forwards James Halliwell (Bristol Bears), Joe Bailey (Exeter Chiefs) and Nathan Michelow (Saracens).

Sale Sharks prop forward Asher Opoku-Fordjour and scrum-half Archie McParland of Northampton Saints, both U20 Elite Player Squad members, arrive into the U20 national fold with 19 senior club appearances to their names across domestic and European competition this term.

Italy’s U20 Men picked up two wins in last year’s edition of the tournament, however it was England who came out on top in last year's encounter, defeating the Azzurri 32-25 at Kingsholm.

A ticket bundle for England U20 Men’s home Under-20 Men’s Six Nations fixtures at the Recreation Ground against Wales and Ireland can be purchased here.